1,001 Nights
by MauMauKa
Summary: Pam and Eric find something unexpected in the basement.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is meant to be a humorous story. I am listing it as NON-CANON, as I am still reading the books and am bound to make mistakes. Some femmeslash…DL/DR (Don't Like/Don't Read). No flames, please.**

_**Chapter 1—Orphan on the Doorstep, or How Rachel Dupree Killed Her Mother**_

**Pam--POV**

When I first heard the scratching, I didn't think anything of it. Our basement is cleaner of rats than most; Bubba sucks on them the way a human might suck on ice cubes just for the hell of it, but one or two always survive. It wasn't until I heard a very disgruntled voice saying, "What the HELL???!!!" that I got disturbed.

She was sitting in a large green plastic tub full of potting soil. We had ordered the soil because Eric and I were toying with the idea of introducing more greenery around the club. But here was a gal I'd never seen before sitting in the tub, soil falling from her hair, skin pale, looking both confused and pissed off.

"_Who the hell are you?!"_ I barked. I rushed over to the tub and pulled her out of it bodily. Her legs gave way as soon as her feet in the floor. She must have been lying in there for the whole three days.

"Rachel Dupree. Who are _you?_" She glared up at me. "And while you're at it, would you be good enough to tell me where I _am_, too?"

"You're in the basement under Fangtasia" I said.

Her eyes got wide. "Fangtasia? The _vampire_ bar!? How the _fuck _did I get here?!!"

"I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_ that, darling." I watched her carefully, with only the tiniest bit of mental 'persuasion'. She smelled clean of lies, so far.

She rubbed her forehead. "The last thing I remember is leaving Charlemagne's" she muttered. "I was with my brother and his friends. He got really drunk and I decided to take a cab home. I called for a ride on my cell phone…I remember waiting outside, but that's it."

"Who's your brother?"

"Billy Dupree."

It wasn't a name I knew. The girl had begun shaking. "What happened to me?! I feel sick."

"That's the thirst, honey. The first few nights are the hardest. Someone—" I took her hand and pulled her to her feet "turned you into one of us."

"I'm a vampire?"

"Yes ma'am. You are."

She shook her head. "I'm a _vampire_. Oh holy Jesus. What am I gonna tell my momma?"

I couldn't help laughing. "I don't know the answer to that, honey. The wisest thing would be for you to stay disappeared. But I'm guessing you're not likely to listen to wisdom right now. Do you need to use our phone?"

"Yeah. If you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all."

I led her upstairs to the office. Eric was already there, working on some papers He raised his eyebrows when I led the girl in. "Who's that?"

"We've got ourselves a bit of a situation, Eric"

"Well?"

"She was in the basement. In that tub of soil we ordered from the landscapers. Says her name's Rachel Dupree. She doesn't know how she got here or who bit her—she says the last thing she remembers is being outside Charlemagne's…that's all the way over on the other side of town." I rummaged through our office fridge and got out an assortment of True Blood bottles. "Do you know anyone named Dupree?"

"No."

"Momma…_Momma_…I know. I know I haven't called in three days…look, something's happened. I'm a vampire…yes, you heard me right." Rachel twisted the phone cord around her finger. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Momma, _please_ stop cryin'! Just calm down. I'll be okay. Hell, don't you look at TV? It's almost normal now—"

"NORMAL? _NORMAL!!!?_" Rachel's mother's voice shrieked clearly from the receiver as Rachel held it away from her ear and winced. "Rachel Marie Durpree you are killin' me, do you hear? _Killing me!!!_ I'll be lucky if I don't just fall right down dead! And if I do, I have to live with the knowledge that I won't EVER see you in heaven! First you tell me you're sleeping with women, and then, as if that isn't a big _enough_ sin in the eyes of the Lord, you tell me you're sleeping with _DEAD WOMEN?!!!_"

I knew I shouldn't laugh. I turned and faced Eric, which was a mistake. He had jammed his hand over his mouth and his eyes glittered with mirth.

"Momma! I am not sleepin' with ANYBODY! I'm _sayin'_ I woke up in a box of soil in the basement of a _vampire_ bar and I don't know how I got there and my skin is very pale and I feel really sick and they tell me I'm one of them! I don't even know what happened! Have you talked to Billy?" She was quiet a moment as she listened. "All right, Momma. I'll call him. I'm glad _he's_ okay…Momma? _Momma…_noI do NOT want to see Pastor Bob! What's he gonna do, give me last rites?!"

Eric grinned and pounded his head softly on the desk. Tears stung my eyes. In another minute I was gonna start roaring, I just knew it.

"Momma, it's a bit _early_ to be worryin' what to do about Christmas" Rachel said sarcastically. She paused again, listening. "…Well, tell em' the _truth_, what's wrong with that?! This wasn't _my_ fault! And if embarrasses them in front of their high-falutin' church friends then fuck em' …all right…all right…I'm sorry I cussed…uh-huh…no, do NOT let Daddy do that! I don't even know who it _was_. Guns don't kill em', anyway. They're _already_ dead."

I lost it then. So did Eric. Rachel glared at us exasperated way and flapped her hand for quiet. "Look, Momma…I gotta go. I gotta call work. Please don't worry. I'll be fine…" she huffed and rolled her eyes "_NO_ I have _NOT _killed anyone yet! I don't have to…they have that stuff in the bottles, you know, True Blood? I'll drink that….no, work should be okay. It's on our health insurance. Okay, you do that, Momma. I love you. Bye."

Rachel hung up. "Can I call work? And what the hell is so goddamn funny?"

"Nothing, sugar!" I said, giggling. "When you're our age, you'll understand."

She shook her head and dialed another number. This time, the conversation was much shorter. "Hi, Jeanette, it's Rachel. Can you give me Sally's voice mail? Thanks." There was a pause. "Hi, Sally. This is Rachel Dupree. I'm not gonna be in tomorrow…I have a health emergency. Please call me on my cell after 8 P.M. as soon as you can and I'll fill you in. Thanks."

She hung up and groaned. "This is gonna suck. Involuntary vampirism is covered on our health insurance, but you have to fill out a ton of forms and everyone treats you like you're a freak. I better go ahead and get ahold of them. Mind if I make one more call? It's a 1-800 number, so you shouldn't get a bill."

"Go ahead, honey. Take your time."

She dialed the number and punched in several codes before she got a "live" person. "Hi…my name's Rachel Dupree. I just got turned into a vampire and—"she waited, listening. "It's a bar called Fangtasia…I woke up in their basement. Yeah. In a tub of potting soil. No, they aren't. No…I don't know who did it. The last place I remember being was outside Charlemagne's Grill on Saturday night at about two-thirty. Who? Okay…I'll check."

She put her hand over the receiver. "Are either one of you a sheriff?"

She looked thoroughly bewildered. Not a surprise. Vampire bureaucracy is even more byzantine—and more stupid—than the human kind. "Eric is" I said, pointing. "Just put him on."

Rachel handed the phone to Eric. Her insurance people must have put her right through to the Dead Zone—the vampire hotline for the Shreveport area. This would take forever. I beckoned her over. "Here's some True Blood, honey. We have all different types here, so take a sip out of each bottle and tell me which ones you can stand to drink."

She began sampling from the bottles, making a face as she did so. "Tastes like ground-up cardboard. Is it all like this?"

"I'm afraid so. That's why a lot of the older generation won't drink it at all. But I figure you've had enough of a shock for one night; we'll save the hunting lessons for later."

She grinned. "Thanks. I appreciate that." Pulling two bottles out of the group, she said, "These aren't as bad. They kind of remind me of Twizzlers, except they're wet and slimy."

I had no idea what Twizzlers were and I didn't care to find out. I looked at the labels. "O negative. Good. There's plenty of that." I gathered up the rest of the bottles and began putting them away. She continued to drink, making the occasional face at the flavor, but gulping steadily. When she finished her first bottle I handed her a second one. "Thanks" she said with a sudden, shy smile. "I really do appreciate it."

Meanwhile, Eric was on the phone. "No, I have no information at this time…yes, we will question her thoroughly. What? Oh. You may as well. Just come to my office when you arrive." He hung up. "The Dead Zone is sending over one of their social workers. In the meantime…what's your name?"

"Rachel Dupree. What's yours?"

"I am Eric. And this is Pam" he nodded at me. "When the worker comes, you must tell them exactly what happened. Since there is no one to take responsibility for you as yet, Pam will help you fill out the paperwork."

"I will?" I asked.

Eric ignored me. "Since your maker has not chosen to take responsibility for you, you may be taken briefly into protective custody."

Rachel stared at him, alarmed. "Protective custody? That sounds like I'm getting arrested!"

"You are not 'getting arrested'" Eric said in his I'm-trying-to-be-patient voice. "Since your maker abandoned you, you are classified as a rogue. Rogue vampires are usually destroyed unless they register in their community as 'independently dead'"

"So why can't I do that?"

"You have to be dead for a minimum of five years to register as an independent."

"Shit."

"Yeah" I agreed.

The social worker arrived wearing a cheap blue pants suit, a frizzy hairdo that had been sprayed into immobility, and one of those _earnest_ expressions that the professionally "compassionate" often have plastered across their pasty faces. "Rachel? I'm Lynette Wallace." Rachel stood up politely and shook the worker's hand. "I'm from the Vampire Transition Office. I'm here to register you as a member of our community, help you to begin your acclimation, and answer any questions you might have. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, I need to take down some basic information first…" the woman shuffled some papers that she took out of her mammoth briefcase. "Who is your maker?"

"I don't know."

Ms. Wallace raised her eyebrows. "Were you under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of your transformation?"

"I had a couple of screwdrivers, but I wasn't drunk"

She made a note on the paper. "Now, Rachel, I need you to recount for me, in your own words, everything you remember before you woke up in the basement. Just take your time."

Rachel repeated the same story she told me. The social worker scribbled she talked, then turned to me. "You found her?"

"That's right."

Her eyes narrowed. "Have the two of you had any contact before?" I could feel a strong push against my brain, and I took exception to it. "Ms. Wallace" I said, leaning across Eric's desk so I was right up in her face. "I am NOT her maker; if I was, I would admit it. And if you had ANY sense whatsoever, you'd realize that someone glamoured her. That gap her memory is absolutely classic."

"I am merely doing my _job_, Miss—. "

"Then stay out of my mind." I raised an eyebrow at her to let her know I meant business. Snotty bitch. A lot of the 'new vampires' are.

Rachel coughed exaggeratedly. The worker turned back to her. "I can set you up with a temporary community permit for now. These are good for ninety nights. If you haven't found someone to claim you as part of their lineage by then, you will have to renew it. It's one hundred dollars now, and fifty every time you renew. Your insurance company should pay half, and they may even cover the whole thing if your transformation is judged to be involuntary—"

"_Judged _to be involuntary?! Excuse my French but what the hell does _that_ mean? I didn't go out _looking_ for someone to turn me into a vampire!"

"I'm sure you didn't" Lynette Wallace said soothingly. "But right now, we have only your word for it. If your maker should turn up and claim you, we will have to talk to him or her. We have lots of humans claiming involuntary transformation just to keep the costs of their registration fees down. The registration fees help pay for the importation of True Blood to this country and its creation here in America."

I glanced at Eric; his eyes were rolled practically to the top of his head.

"We are a warm and _caring_ community" Ms. Wallace continued. "No matter what you may have heard…" she glared at me. She had better watch it. At my age, I am not _about_ to take any lip from some nouveau bloodsucker with a cheap plastic briefcase!

"Uh-huh" Rachel said doubtfully. "Okay."

"You must be terribly frightened and confused" The Wallace woman patted Rachel's hand with a sickeningly-sympathetic air. "Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"Yeah. If nobody claims me, then what? I can't register as an independent for five years, right? Are y'all gonna execute me if nobody shows up?"

Well, _that_ was cutting right to the chase. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eric give the tiniest nod of approval.

"No, no, no, honey! Nobody does _that_ anymore."

(Which is bullshit.)

"No, you'd simply be removed to one of our orphanages. What happened to you isn't uncommon…we have places for you to live until you can be independent."

More bullshit. I wasn't going to contradict her out loud. Her superiors would know the real truth, but it would make sense that they wouldn't tell any of the earnest young newbies working for them what actually _does _happen to vampire orphans in most cases: they disappear. It's more convenient that way. _I _would tell Rachel the truth, though. I could tell she was smart, and after that idiot bitch Bill had foisted off on Eric and me, she was _definitely _a breath of fresh air. Cute, too: more muscular and strong-looking than curvy, but she had a sweet face and a thick mane of long auburn hair.

"Like what? Is it a prison?"

"No. Just a community with shared housing."

Rachel looked at the woman for a long time; it was obvious she had her doubts. _Good girl_, I thought. _You keep that up and you just might survive around here._

"What about your job?" The social idiot asked. "Do they have procedures in place for people who undergo involuntary transformation?"

"Yeah. I'm a librarian. I work for the Shreveport public library. Last year the main branch started stayin' open 24/7. I can ask to be moved to the late shift."

"Good" Another note on the papers. "Now, I'm gonna need a drop of your blood, honey, for our records, and then I have a video for you to watch." She reached into her bag and pulled out a tape with a blond and be-fanged man and woman on it. They were wearing tennis clothes and standing with their arms around each other under a full moon. The title read: **SO NOW YOU'RE A VAMPIRE!**

"This is the first in the series. I also have **THE BLOOD-THIRST AND YOU, HUMANS AND VAMPIRES: A COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP, THE MIRACLE OF TRU-BLOOD**, and **DOES GOD STILL LOVE ME? VAMPIRES AND RELIGION**."

I thought I might throw up.

"Do I have to watch em' all tonight?" Rachel asked. Her expression had gone from doubtful to a look of outright disbelief. She scratched absently at the back of her hand.

"They're free. I'll leave them with you, along with some of our pamphlets. But you should watch the first one as soon as possible."

"We have a VCR here" Eric said smoothly, making me want to stake him. He knew perfectly well I hated this shit. He just enjoyed watching me squirm.

"Oh, good. That helps." The social worker took out a lancing device—it's the same kind human diabetics use—and a set of glass slides. "All right, Rachel. I need to stick you now. This blood goes into your file with us and to the Sheriff of Area Five."

"You?" Rachel asked Eric. He nodded.

If it had been anyone but Eric, I would have advised her to faint or fake a quick seizure. Having the blood on file makes it harder for orphans to vanish, which they need to do if they want to live. I was reluctant to leave Rachel to her fate. She was just a pawn, but without her, we wouldn't be able to find out who did it and what danger they might be to us. The girl was dumped in my basement, so that meant someone either wanted to get to us—Eric and me—or maybe get to her family.

Rachel held out her hand and Lynette Wallace pricked her finger expertly, squeezing the blood onto two sets of slides. One of them she gave to Eric. The other she tucked into a small box from her briefcase. "Shall we watch the video now?"

Eric looked at me; I crossed my arms and looked back at him. It was _his _decision to show the stupid thing; let _him _set the goddamn VCR up.

He must have seen it in my face that I was not going to budge, so he wheeled out our ancient TV and VCR and flipped off the lights in the office. The social worker popped in the tape and music came on. _"If you are watching this video, you have probably just become a new vampire" _a deep avuncular voice intoned soothingly. _"You may be feeling hurt, frightened and confused. Don't be. The transformation from human to vampire is a beautiful, natural process!"_

Eric snickered and covered it with a fake cough. I pinched the inside of my arm so I wouldn't jump up and kick the TV screen in. Rachel's eyebrows had arched so high they disappeared under her bangs. "You have _got _to be kiddin' me" she muttered under her breath.

"_It all begins when your maker drains the blood from your body until you reach the point of death, then gives you his or her own as a gift" _The blond man and woman from the cover were shown in the moonlight again; this time he was chomping down on her neck. The song "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" played in the background. _That's it_, I thought. _I'm gonna puke for sure._

_A new vampire is then buried in earth for three days. On the third day, everything goes well, the fledgling rises…" _ Cheesy shot of female vamp rising, face transfigured by orgasmic ecstasy. It's crap, of course. A newly risen vampire feels more nausea than anything else, until they get blood in their system.

"_Once the new vampire has risen, the fledgling's maker takes on the responsibility for teaching how to hunt, where to sleep, and the rules and laws of vampire society. This is a special time, in which the fledgling and the maker cement their bond of trust."_

"What the hell is this?! _Leave It to Beaver_ meets the undead?!" Rachel muttered under her breath. "This is makin' me _itch_." I grinned. I _liked_ this girl.

The tape went on. Most of it was crap but it did, as the Wallace woman said, have a few bits of practical advice, such has how to cover the windows in your house to make them light-proof, how many bottles of True Blood to drink a night, and how to heal yourself of burns by sleeping in soil. There were also some tips about whether or not to "come out" to your family and warnings that if you chose to do so, you needed to stay away from them for at least three months until the blood thirst was under control. That last part is the biggest sign of how much things have changed; in my day, if you got turned, you _were_ dead. You could never go home again and it was considered better if your family thought you were completely gone. That rule was part of vampire law until very recently; there are lots of missing people in this country that aren't really missing at all.

"Now, honey, do you have any other questions for me?" The social worker asked when the tape ended.

Rachel was looking at her hands. She shook her head.

"All right, then why don't we get on with your insurance forms? I believe you work for the library? You're lucky. The city of Shreveport allows for three months leave of absence for vampire transformation. I advise you to take full advantage of that. Even with the help of True Blood, the thirst will be very difficult for you to control. Especially since you're on your own…normally, your maker is there to help you if it gets too bad. Do you have your insurance card with you?"

Rachel looked at me. "Is my handbag down in the dirt somewhere?"

I shook my head; I hadn't found a purse. Whoever did the biting probably also did the stealing.

The social worker nodded as though she wasn't surprised. "Okay…let's get you filled out for a new one first thing. You'll need to report your cell phone and credit cards as lost, too."

"What about social security?"

"That's not a problem. Your sheriff will file a transformation report and that should take care of it. To the Social Security office, you no longer exist."

"Why not?!"

"Because" Lynette Wallace explained "Social Security is for aging _humans_, to take care of their needs as they grow older. You are never going to physically age again; you will be able-bodied for the rest of forever. So the money you paid into Social Security goes back to the government."

"_What?!_" Rachel was furious. "That's _my_ money! _I _earned it!"

"Doesn't matter" the social worker sighed. "It was one of the things the human government of this country demanded when we went public."

"Goddamn it. Fuckin' _thieves_…no! _Grave robbers!_"

Eric held up a hand. He was smiling. This was turning out to be a lot more amusing than either of us had anticipated. "You shouldn't have any trouble with money. We take care of our own."

_That _made me prick up my ears. We did?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: Bill the Babysitter**_

"Do you have a place to stay?" Eric asked.

Rachel nodded. "I've got an apartment."

"When is your lease up?"

"Next month."

"Break it. You'll stay with a trusted friend of ours. Bill Compton maintains a home in Bon Temps. His woman, Sookie, is a human telepath. With her help, we should be able to find your maker."

I could not, could _not _believe what he was saying. Bill owed us, true, but this was carrying revenge to new heights. Or Eric was simply getting impatient for Bill to get out of his way so _he_ could have a crack at Sookie; he made no secret of his feelings for her. The woman had an uncanny talent for attracting every unholy being within a ten-mile radius.

"Are you _sure_ that's a good idea?" I asked.

"Of course. He can train her alongside Jessica."

"Who's that?" Rachel asked.

"His fledgling. She's seventeen and impossible, but he is managing to teach her proper behavior. Make yourself useful to him and his gratitude may come in handy."

She was smart enough to say, "To you or to me?"

Erik smiled that smile of his that can chill a room down thirty degrees or so. "To you, most certainly. I do not tolerate rogues in my area. And perhaps to me as well, if the gods of chance are with us."

Rachel shook her head, staring at him warily. "Maybe I had better go to this group-home thing they're talking about…"

Even though I knew he would hate my methods, I moved fast. I grabbed Rachel's hand and sank my fangs into her wrist. I think all three of them—Rachel, the Wallace woman, and even Eric—gasped at once. _"Pam!" _Eric hissed furiously.

Rachel gazed at the social worker, her eyes as wide as saucers. The woman's hands were clenched in fury. I think if Eric hadn't been who he was, she might have come right over the desk and killed me. _"I am going to report you!"_ she snarled.

"Go ahead, honey. He's right there." I laughed and pointed to Eric.

"_What the hell did you do?!"_ Rachel whispered. Her skin, pale to begin with, had gone the color of chalk.

"That's known as a blood mark" Eric said grimly. "It's an old-fashioned technique used to bind a human or younger vampire to an older one. It's the closest tie outside of an actual vampire-making that exists among us. As long as that tie exists, no one can use you or harm you without Pam's express permission. You also have to obey her."

"So I'm a _slave?!"_

"I prefer the term 'pet'. And now that you are my pet, you no longer fall into the rogue category. You will simply remain at Bill's and learn from him until we find out who your maker is and the appropriate measures are taken." Rachel just stared at me.

I explained, as gently as I could. "One of the first things you need to understand about the vampire world, darling, is that it is _not_ a democracy."

The Wallace woman left. After she was gone, Eric growled, "I ought to stake you myself! What the hell were you thinking of?! And didn't I tell you _no more pets?!_ You have enough already."

"Oh, stop bitching. It solved the problem didn't it? And you owe me for ruining my favorite shoes."

Needless to say, Bill was _not_ happy to be saddled with the responsibility of another fledgling. Eric bullied him by reminding him that he owed us a favor. And I worked on his ever-useful sense of guilt while Rachel stood by, obviously mortified. Sookie took it well (she would) and Jessica's reaction was no more than I expected of her.

"So, are you like, gonna be my _stepsister_ or something?" Jessica demanded, hands on hips. She was wearing a skirt that left _nothing_ to the imagination; Bill hadn't made much of an impact on her sense of style.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. I guess so. Sort of."

"Eric, this is completely unacceptable! Why can't you keep her, if Pam marked her?"

"Because my bar is already crawling with Pam's pets. We don't need another one."

"I wouldn't have marked her if it hadn't been _necessary_" I pointed out. "Until we know who her maker is, we have no idea if they're trying to get at us or just dumped her in the soil because it was convenient. Come on, Bill! We kept _your_ idiot fledgling, didn't we?"

"Yeah, for about two weeks, bitch!"

I slapped Jessica, who went flying across the room. "Mind your language when you speak to a lady" I said sternly. Bill made no move to defend her, so she crossed her arms and sat in sulky silence.

Rachel cleared her throat. "I have an apartment of my own. It's just that I'm not supposed to be in contact with humans for three months. The social worker from the Dead Zone said that. And there's nobody to teach me how to…_function_, I guess is the word…

in the vampire world. I realize it's a hell of an imposition, and I'm sorry, but—"

"The alternative is that she goes to one of those 'group homes'" I said.

Bill nodded slowly. "I see."

"Group homes?" Sookie asked.

"The places where rogue vampires disappear" Bill explained. "They are billed as communities for vampires whose makers have either died or never claimed them. But mostly what happens is that once they arrive, their Sheriff dispatches them."

"That's awful!"

"And the nearest group home is in Baton Rouge, out of Eric's jurisdiction." I finished.

Bill took a deep breath. "All right. I'll take her. But you _must _impress on her that she is to do _exactly_ as I say. No exceptions. I'm having enough trouble with this one" he gestured at Jessica, who made a gesture of her own."

"You heard the man" I said to Rachel. "If he has to come to me about any misbehavior of yours, I will make your afterlife _quite_ unpleasant. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am" Rachel said.

"The bond between us opens a line of communication" I went on. "If you ever hear my voice talking, you need to be listening. Is _that_ clear?"

"Yes".

"In return, if you get in trouble, I'll know. Eric and I will keep you supplied with True Blood while you're here. Sookie, we will need your help, too. When it's safe, you need to visit Rachel's family to see if they know anything."

"All right" Sookie said cautiously. "I'm glad to help if I can."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3—Rachel Dupree, This is Your Afterlife!**_

**Rachel—POV**

Pam left me at her and Eric's friend Bill's without a backward glace. I felt totally humiliated to be dumped on his doorstep like an unwanted package from UPS. My wrist hurt where Pam had bitten me and I was starting to get hungry again. His fledgling, Jessica, was glaring at me and only the woman called Sookie looked at all friendly.

"Umm, there's some cases of True Blood in the yard" I said, not knowing what to say next. "And if someone could help me get my car and go with me to a Wal-Mart I can find some blackout shields for the windows. And maybe an air mattress, too."

"Blackout shields? You mean you can block the sunlight from the windows?" Jessica demanded.

"Yeah, if what I saw on the videotape they showed me is true."

"_You bastard!" _ She shrieked at Bill. _"You've been making me sleep in a hole in the ground!"_

"Jessica control yourself, or leave the room. You shame me and yourself by behaving in such a manner before guests."

"Fuck you!" she spat, but she stomped from the room, slamming the door behind her.

"I apologize for my fledgling, Miss Dupree." Bill said quietly. "Because of her age as both a human and a vampire, she has no impulse control."

_Why didn't you wait until she was older_,_ then?_ I wondered. Aloud, I said, "It's okay, Mr. Compton."

"Please call me Bill. And this is Sookie" he put an arm around the blonde woman, who smiled and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Rachel. I'll be glad to get what you need at the store. In fact, I may have a spare pair of shields at my house. I got them when Bill and I first got together."

"Thanks. Uh, where should I put the bottles?"

"In the kitchen, but I'll carry them in. Then we need to work out where you're going to sleep."

"I'll run home and get the shields" Sookie said quickly, heading for the door.

I helped Bill carry in the cases of True Blood. "I also apologize for the state of my house" he said. I'm afraid that when I reclaimed it, I had no thought of guests."

Bill's house _was_ incredibly run-down, but he'd managed to fix the structural problems and was working on putting in new plumbing and wiring it for electricity for Sookie.

"Maybe I can help" I said. "If I hung some new wallpaper or painted, would you consider that as me earning my keep?"

Bill thought about it. "It _would_ be helpful" he said slowly. "In my day, however, the wallpaper was silk, and I'm not sure how much silk wallpaper is these days."

"Maybe it doesn't have to be real silk. If I can get my laptop computer from my house, I can look around on the Internet and see if there's anything synthetic…"

"That is very kind of you, Rachel. Maybe Sookie would like to help, too; she's often remarked that my home could be restored to much of its former beauty. But in the meantime, you will need to focus on the lessons I teach you in how to live as a vampire."

"Okay. What's the first one?"

"The first one is to do as you're told. The second one is that young vampires are seen and not heard."

I would have thought he was being nasty except his tone was serious, not sarcastic. "This is a lesson Jessica has particular difficulty with, and one day it may get her seriously hurt. Our world, unlike this country, is not democratic."

"Pam said the same thing."

"In fact, it's based on the system used in many parts of medieval Europe" Bill went on in what I would soon learn to call his "teaching voice", "each part of our territory is divided into areas, which are ruled by a Sheriff. Eric is our Sheriff. He, in turn, answers to the Queen of Louisiana, who is ruled by the King of America. There is a King or a Queen in every country all across the globe. Each king and queen answers in turn to the High King and High Queen. Inside their territories, Each Sheriff, King, or Queen is an absolute monarch. If you offend them, if they decide to punish you for _any_ reason, there is no recourse. No law will protect you, nor will anyone in a different place give you shelter."

I felt cold all over.

"Pam has marked you. In the circumstances, it's the best thing she or Eric could have done. Eric destroys any rogue vampires in his territory. Your job is to see to it that Pam never becomes displeased enough with you to remove her protection." Bill studied my face, no doubt to see how I was taking it. "Pam is not noted for her constancy" he said quietly. "But she marked you for necessity's sake, not because she found you attractive. That may be your saving grace in the end. She has many pets. You must blend in with them as much as you can. If she wants you, she will call. If she does, you are to drop whatever you're doing and go. With luck, she may eventually forget about you for five years, and then you can register as independent."

I appreciated the advice, but I was a just a little p.o.'d that Bill assumed Pam wouldn't find me attractive! True, she was blonde and gorgeous and I was simply on the nice side of medium, but still!

He must have read my mind (could vampires read minds?) because he smiled crookedly. "Not that you _aren't _comely to look at."

I couldn't help but smile. It sounded so old-fashioned, but sweet at the same time.

"CAN I COME OUT NOW?" A window-rattling yell echoed down from upstairs. "I'M STARVIN' TO DEATH!"

"Yes, you may" Bill sighed. Jessica bounded down the stairs at once. "I want sunblock shields!" she demanded as she headed into the kitchen and rummaged a bottle of True Blood out of a cupboard. "It is positively nasty to have to sleep with bugs and worms!"

"Try to get through a week without humiliating yourself or me and I'll consider it."

"Dickhead!"

Bill pointed to the stairs. She flipped him off again, but went.

Bill and I had a bottle of True Blood, too, and before long, Sookie returned with the shields. They were made out of some sort of heavy black material like canvas. Bill hung them in a small room downstairs that he said was once a small parlor. "It's cooler down here" he explained. "As a vampire, you won't feel the temperature changes, but I thought you might like a nice breeze in the evenings."

"When we can _get_ a nice breeze, that is!" Sookie laughed and shook her head. Her teeth were sort of crooked in the front, but on her it looked cute. I liked her face. It was lively and intelligent-looking, and she was treating me like any other person, which was very comforting after the past night or so. She brought a pump for my air mattress and some sheets as well. I told her I would pay her back.

"That's all right, honey. They're my brother Jason's. He used to use them for hunting but he hasn't gotten them from Gran's in about five years. I don't reckon he'll miss em'."

"Would you be willing" I asked slowly, "to get some things from my apartment for me? I have some cash hidden in my freezer. I need to get a new cell phone as soon as I can. Eric let me use the phone at Fangtasia to freeze my bank card and my gas card and my T-mobile account, but I can't be without a phone. My momma will freak out if she tries to go to my house and I'm not there. My landlady will give you a key if you show your driver's license."

"Of course I will" Sookie said with a warm smile.

"My laptop's in there, too. If you could bring it—"

"Not a problem. Do you mind if I borrow it, though? Bill and I were talkin' about maybe trying to fix up the house a little more—"

"Actually, I asked if I could do that. I thought it might help me earn my keep around here."

"I suggested you and Rachel might want to do that together." Bill put in. "This is too large a house for one person to do alone."

So that's how I became an interior decorator. Bill had plenty of money, and remembered completely how the house used to look. He wanted it restored rather than re-done, which made it easier on Sookie and me. I got to know Sookie pretty well and I liked her a lot; she was funny in a world-weary kind of way, and very kind to both me and Jessica, who drove everyone crazy with her whining and her tantrums. I got mad and told her once that complaining all the time was no way to spend your afterlife. She told me to go to hell, but she shut up, and even spent part of the night helping Sookie and me re-paper the dining room. We played rock music on the radio real loud and Bill stuffed cotton in his ears.

There was, of course, a lot to adjust to. The thirst was every bit as bad as the social worker from the Dead Zone had said it would be. I guzzled True Blood like water and between Jessica and me, there was hardly a night where Bill didn't have to fill up Sookie's car with bottles and drive to the recycling center. There were times when it was so bad I had to stay confined in my room when Sookie was visiting because she just smelled _too_ delicious; I envied the hell out of Bill but I liked him too. He was very patient with me when he taught me about vampire history and the rules of their—our—society. I think he definitely found me a relief after Jessica. Like most teenagers, she relished defying authority, and she pretty much refused to learn _anything_ from him until Eric came over one night and took her into the living room. When he left, she was wide-eyed and subdued. I don't know what he said, but it was good for two whole weeks of quiet.

In short, it was all very cozy—almost _normal_. In short, it was time for _something_ to happen and with me, that something usually involves Momma.

There came a night when Sookie, Eric and Pam visited to report that they had no luck in finding my maker among the vampires that were regulars at Fangtasia. Sookie had gone there to do a "routine scan" and come up empty. I had been told to take her to visit my brother and his friends as soon as Bill deemed I was able to go out without killing innocent passerby. We were all in the living room when all of a sudden there was a furious pounding on the front door.

"RACHEL?! RACHEL DUPREE, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! YOU CAN'T FOOL YOUR MOMMA! COME OUT RIGHT NOW!"

"I believe it's for you, darlin'" Pam drawled. Eric snickered. So did Jessica. Sookie glared at them.

Bill excused himself also and when he opened the door, sure enough, there was Momma in her slacks and flowered blouse with her hands on her hips. "WHO'RE YOU?!" she demanded. "WHERE'S MY BABY?"

"Momma, what are you doing here?" I peeked out from behind Bill and prayed that any errant breezes would stay away. Momma smelled like cinnamon and blackberry cobbler, and I didn't trust myself.

"MISSY, YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!" she informed me. "I GO OVER TO YOUR HOUSE AND MYRTLE HAGGARTY TELLS ME YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR DAYS?! THAT SOME STRANGE WOMAN IS PICKIN' UP YOUR THINGS AND TAKIN' THEM AWAY? WHEN WERE YOU PLANNIN' TO TELL ME YOU WERE GONNA MOVE!? I'M ASHAMED OF YOU, GIRL!!!! Her eyes narrowed as they shifted to Bill. "AND WHO, MAY I ASK, IS _THIS?!_"

"Momma, this is Bill Compton—"I began, but she interrupted me, holding up a hand. "My daughter's livin' with you?"

"I have taken Rachel into my home, yes."

Her face broke into a broad grin. Momma's moods come and go like lightning across the sky. "HA! _NOW _I GET IT! TOO STUBBORN TO ADMIT YOUR OLD MOMMA WAS RIGHT, EH GIRL? DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR 'I TOLD YOU SO' DID YOU?!"

"Mrs. Dupree—"

"Elsie!" she grabbed and shook Bill's extended hand. "Call me Elsie. I can't _tell_ you how glad I am to meet you! Nobody normal will have her now, and I was worried she was gonna fall so far into sin that the Lord _Himself _couldn't pull her out! If you managed to do it, then I'm glad to know you!"

"Mrs. Dupree, I think you have made a mistake—"

"What mistake? Are you livin' with my baby or aren't ya?"

"She lives here, yes."

"Then you must be wantin' to marry her. Have y'all picked a date yet? Pastor Bob's never done a vampire weddin', but I know he won't say no. After all, he christened you when you were just a baby—"

"MOMMA" I said loudly, coming out from behind Bill at last. "Bill is NOT my boyfriend. If you'd let us get a word in sideways, he'd tell you he's just letting me live here and teaching me how to get along now that I'm—now that I've _changed_. Don't you remember me telling you that I can't be around people for three months?! You shouldn't have come here."

"I'm your _Momma_" she said stubbornly, hands on hips. "You won't bite your own Momma. I didn't raise my baby to be that way."

"Would you like to come in?" Bill broke in smoothly. "I understand that you must be concerned about how Rachel is living. She has her own room and I am training her in our ways alongside my own fledgling, Jessica."

Momma's eyes narrowed at the name 'Jessica'. "She the one who did this to you?"

"_No_, Momma."

"Well…" she sighed and stepped inside. "I reckon it _was_ too much to hope that turnin' into a bloodsucker would make you be normal everywhere else."

"Just a _little_ bit, Momma"

"Don't you sass me, girl!" Momma popped me upside the head. Bill, bless him, pretended not to notice. "Would you like coffee, Mrs. Dupree? Or a can of soda?"

I scowled and rubbed my stinging ear. Momma can pack quite a wallop when she has a mind to.

"Nothin', thank you."

Bill led us into the living room and looked pointedly at me. "Everyone" I began in a voice that sounded too loud "this is my momma. Momma, this is Bill's girlfriend Sookie—" Sookie jumped up and held out her hand for Momma to shake. "Pleased to meet you!"

"And that's Bill's fledgling, Jessica—"

Jessica grinned evilly. "You're ten years older than me and you still got your momma checkin' up on you?! How totally _lame!_"

"You hush your mouth!" Bill growled.

"And this is Eric—" I pointed to him "—the Sheriff of this area. And his partner Pam from Fangtas—"

"Rache's _mistress_" Pam drawled with a wide smile. I could have killed her!

Momma's eyes narrowed. "It was _you_ then? You oughta be ashamed of yourself! Preyin' on young girls like that!"

Pam burst out laughing. She laughed so hard blood tears started running down her cheeks and she had to blot her face with a hanky. Jessica hooted, and Eric's gleeful grin nearly split his face in half. Only Sookie looked embarrassed. I wished the floor would open and swallow me up!

"What she _means_" Bill said loudly, giving Pam a look of disgust, "is that for now, Rachel is under her protection. In our world, the term 'master', or 'mistress', means an older vampire who looks after and is generally in charge of a younger one. It can be the younger vampire's maker, but it doesn't _have_ to be."

"Her _protection_, huh?" Momma cocked her head to the side, the way she does when she's about to let someone have it. "So you do what? You keep other vampires away from her?"

"If they plan to harm her, then yes" Pam, still chuckling and dabbing at her eyes. "But mostly it's just a bureaucratic thing."

"Right. And I'm Dolly Parton."

"_Momma!"_ I groaned. Momma flapped her hand at me. "Don't _even_ bother, Missy! Your Momma knows what's what. As for _you_" she pointed at Pam. "You treat my baby right, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear" Pam rolled her eyes. Even though I knew it was a sin, I heartily wished Momma in hell.

"I mean it. If I hear _any_ harm's come to her, I'm sharpenin' up my wooden spoon and comin' after you."

Pam started to laugh again, but Eric leaned forward. "Threatening one of my people is never wise, Mrs. Dupree."

Momma stared at him. "You got kids, Mister?"

"No."

"Then don't tell me what to do."

"_Momma"_ I hissed urgently "For God's sake, are you crazy?! He could kill you _right now_, don't you know that?! You need to get out of here!"

"Rachel, baby—" before I could protest, she took my face in her hands, the way she used to when I was little. Her hands were so warm and soft, and the blackberry cobbler scent of her blood was so strong, I grabbed Bill's hand and gripped him like I was drowning. He looked startled, but he didn't let go. Sookie watched with concern; I think she could tell how much trouble I was in. Momma let go, her eyes dark with worry and hurt. "Baby, I'm your Momma. There's no need to be scared."

"There's need for _you_ to be scared" I whispered.

"No. Listen, you don't have to stay here. Come on home and I'll have your Daddy fix up the basement. He can make you a coffin out of that old scrap lumber he got to fix up the shed."

Pam stood up. "Mrs. Dupree, you need to leave now". Her tone and expression was pleasant, but I saw her eyes dilate. Momma stared at her, looking confused.

"Thank you _so_ much for coming" Pam said graciously as she took Momma's hand and led her away. "Come back _soon_, you hear?"

Momma went without a fuss. For a moment, I wondered what the hell happened, then I realized: Pam must have glamoured her.

"_Well"_ Pam said when she got back. "Bless your ever-loving little _heart_, Rachel! I think becoming a vampire _might_ just be the best thing that _ever _happened to you!"

"Thank you" I mumbled.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: All in the Family**_

**Pam—POV **

"Darlin', do stop fidgeting and _sit down_." Rachel was about to drive me crazy with the way she kept walking from one end of the room to the other. We were waiting for her brother Billy at Bill Compton's house. The three months were up and Rachel had moved most of her things into his house. To my amazement, he had offered her the continued use of his home. He said she and Sookie were helping to restore the house's interior; I just shrugged. It was one less thing for me to be concerned with if I knew she was over there. Eric was satisfied with the arrangement as well, and was already working on what Rachel's hours at the bar would be. (Every vampire in Area 5 has to work a few regular shifts at Fangtasia…it's how our community stays prosperous in a relatively _un_-prosperous city.)

At precisely midnight (the time Rachel had told him), Billy Dupree knocked on the door. Bill went to let him in and when he appeared in the doorway to the living room I was surprised to see how much he looked like her: the same auburn hair and square-ish build, the same brown eyes that were set a little too close together.

"He's my twin" Rachel said, smiling.

"L'IL BIT!!!" he boomed. "HOW THE HELL ARE YA?!!!!" He scooped Rachel up into a huge bear hug. Rachel hugged hum back, carefully, so as not to snap his spine like a matchstick.

"I've been better" she told him with a wry smile.

"BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YA!" he went on. (Did _everyone _in Rachel's family talk in capital letters?!) "MOMMA SAID YOU WERE LIVIN' OUT HERE WITH SOME MAN YOU MET AND HIS WIFE."

"His _wife_?" Sookie echoed, looking at me with questions written all over her face. I shrugged.

"Sookie and Bill, yes, but they're not married. At least, not yet. Bill, Sookie…this is my brother Billy."

They greeted him cordially. Billy nearly pumped Bill's arm off shaking his hand. She introduced Eric and me. After he finished shaking hands with Eric, Billy grinned. "'YOU GOT A NICE, STRONG GRIP BUDDY! YOU LIKE RASSELIN'?"

_Rasselin?_ I had no idea what he was talking about, but apparently Eric did. "I watch it on TV sometimes."

"ME TOO! YOU SHOULD COME OVER AND WATCH WITH ME SOMETIME! I CAN GET SOME OF THAT BOTTLED BLOOD Y'ALL DRINK."

"And you, my friend, should be careful about issuing invitations to vampires" Eric's tone was stern, but he was smiling. "I may take you up on it. I bet on the matches sometimes."

"YEAH, SO DO I! WIN A LOT, TOO…I GOT ME A LITTLE SAVVY. SO…I RECKON YA'LL WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE POTTING SOIL, RIGHT?" Billy plopped himself onto a nearby chair. "DAMN SORRY THING! I'VE BEEN CALLIN' UP EVERY EMPLOYEE I'VE HAD FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND NONE OF EM' WILL ADMIT TO HAVIN' ANY TRUCK WITH VAMPIRES. LEMME TELL YA—IF _EVER_ CATCH THE SONOFABITCH WHO DID THIS TO MY SISTER, I'M GONNA RUN EM' THROUGH WITH A FENCE POLE!"

The potting soil had come from his business. Billy and his father ran a lawn and landscaping operation. I glanced at Rachel and raised my eyebrows: _please tell your brother to turn it down before I go deaf._

"He's telling the truth" Sookie said. Billy blinked at her. "COURSE I AM! WHAT MADE YA THINK I WASN'T?"

"Billy, shh" Rachel patted his shoulder. "No need to shout. Momma's not here."

"Sorry" he repeated in a normal tone of voice. He grinned apologetically. "I'm kinda deaf…when I was in high school I was always forgettin' my ear plugs when I went huntin'. And around Momma you have to speak up or get left out of the conversation altogether."

"I'm telepathic" Sookie explained. "I can hear people's thoughts."

"So you're here to keep me _honest_" Billy's smile grew sexy and he winked. I groaned inwardly, wondering what sort of psychic glitch was running wild in the Dupree family—Sookie attracted Supes like a magnet. Bill did not look pleased.

"We want you to take Sookie out with you and the people who were with you at Charlemagne's the night Rachel was taken" Eric said. "She might be able to hear if any of your friends know anything."

"Okay. When?"

Eric glanced at Bill, his expression unreadable. "As soon as possible."

"How 'bout tomorra night, then? The people who were there that night—they're just some poker buddies of mine. We all went to high school together."

"Sounds good" Sookie said cautiously. I glanced at her. She had a pleasant expression on her face, but I knew from the way she was holding herself that she had already picked up some information. "I think Rachel should go too, though. Seeing her will make them think about what happened."

"Sure" Billy said easily. He glanced at Bill, whose face was like stone. "You wanna go too? Charlemagne's has bottled blood." His expression said he had already figured out that Bill was feeling possessive.

"I think I had better not. They might not talk at all if you suddenly brought a strange vampire into their midst."

"Rachel oughta have a date, too" Billy's smile grew wicked. "How 'bout you?" he asked, turning to me.

"_Billy!"_ Rachel protested, looking horrified at the suggestion. It made me laugh. Jessica giggled.

"Why not? She's female. And a vampire. And _hot._ Momma said you two already got together. You have good taste, li'l sister!"

Rachel groaned. "I'm sorry, Pam! Apparently Momma still doesn't grasp the idea that the word 'mistress' means something else to vampires."

This was turning out to be fun, after all! I tilted my head to show that I was considering the idea. "Why not?"

"_Pam"_ Eric said warningly. "You _know _why not."

"Pity" I drawled. Rachel's expression was positively hilarious! And even though she hadn't had more than one bottle of True Blood since Eric and I had arrived, her cheeks were bright pink.

"I am gonna _kill_ you, Billy!" Rachel swatted her brother. "Can't my family manage ONE visit out here without making me want to die of embarrassment?!"

"That can't happen because you've _already_ croaked!" Billy laughed even harder and eventually Rachel did too. "Asshole. Didn't you hear Bill?! _One_ vampire at the table is gonna be enough. And since _when_ do you listen to Momma?!"

Billy agreed to pick up Rachel and Sookie at ten the next night. He departed with a wave to the room in general and a "Treat my sister right, you hear me?" to me. Rachel just shook her head in exasperation. Bill sent her to the kitchen for more True Blood.

"Well?" Eric asked Sookie.

"He's wondering how dangerous Rachel is. He does think she and Pam have some kind of relationship, or if they don't they _ought_ to." She turned to me. "He found you _most_ impressive."

"I kind of gathered that" I said dryly.

"Yeah. In fact, a good bit of his mind was fixated on the idea of watching you and I fool around."

"Anytime you want, honey!" I purred, causing both Eric and Bill to glare at me. Jessica said "Eww!" We all ignored her.

"He's afraid for his family, particularly for his mother, and is wondering if anyone will come after him next. Apparently, he had a rather nasty breakup not so long ago. The girl left _him_ for a vampire—he wonders if it has to do with her and if he's going to be next. They had a big fight and he said some not-so-nice things about vampires in general, so I think we need to track down this girl. Her name's Tonya Allen."

"Tonya?" Rachel came back in bearing a tray with several bottles of True Blood on it. "Don't tell me he's back with _her_ again! She's an incredible bitch."

"Did you know she left him for a vampire?"

Her eyes widened. "Really!?"

"Yup."

"No, I didn't" Rachel said slowly. "But it doesn't surprise me. She was a total skank—slept with anyone, really into drinking and drugs—she got drunk the one time Momma ever asked her over to our house and threw up on my daddy while trying to sit on his lap. Needless to say, she was _persona non grata_ after that. I bet she's into V now."

"She sounds like a likely candidate" Bill said.

"Yes, but _she_ left _him_" I pointed out. "So it might not be her. There's still the possibility of someone from one of the local churches wanting to plant a body in our basement to give them the excuse to burn us out."

"We'll find out more tomorrow" Eric decided. He rose to leave, so I did too. "I'm sorry I can't take you out just _yet_, darlin'" I said. I stroked Rachel's cheek, which was soft in the way only a very young vampire's is. "But now that I_ am _aware of how _remiss_ I've been, you should be seeing a lot _more_ of me." Rachel dropped the empty tray with a clang; out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bill shaking his head.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AU: Hi guys! Sorry It's been so long between updates! I got a new job, so I've been busy with that and then I was out of town. I hope to be adding more to my stories soon! Thanks to everyone who sent reviews!---Maumauka**_

_**Sookie—POV**_

"Dear Lord!"

"Uh-huh."

Pam was shaking her head at the dress she had hauled from the back of Rachel's makeshift closet. It was pale brown with bright pink flowers, made in some sort of polyester-rayon blend.

"Your mother made this?"

"No, she bought it at Wal-Mart."

We were getting ready to go out. Billy Dupree was scheduled to pick us up in half an hour and for some reason, Pam had taken it upon herself to "help" Rachel dress. She had taken exception to Rachel's jeans and T-shirt at once. "Haven't you got _anything_ a little more ladylike?"

"I'm supposed to look _normal_!" Rachel protested. "I never wear dresses, hardly." Pam glanced at me; I was wearing a white sundress.

"And why _not_? With a figure like yours, it's a _sin_ for you not to."

Rachel glanced down at herself, looking confused. She also glanced at me. I could see, even without the aid of my disability, what she was thinking: _What figure?_

It was true that she wasn't curvy in the slightest, but her wide shoulders and the fact that she was taller than average gave Rachel a distinct advantage when it came to clothes. Her wardrobe, however, consisted mainly of pants and black tops. She was wearing a black top with her jeans and a necklace with an ankh (my new word of the day) on it. Even though it was silver-toned, it obviously wasn't real. Otherwise the silver would make her sick even through her clothes.

"At least take that thing off!" Pam pointed at the ankh. "There's no need to turn yourself into a walking stereotype."

"I wear this all the time" Rachel said calmly.

Pam rolled her eyes and began to rummage in Rachel's jewelry box. "Here" she said, coming up with some dangling silver-tone beaded earrings. "Put these on. And take your hair down. _And take that thing off._ That's an order."

Rachel scowled as she took off the ankh and took down her ponytail. "The idiots my brother hangs around with are gonna assume I'm trying to impress them or something!"

"You are. You are impressing them with the fact that you're one of us, and that's going to turn them on more than anything else. A man turned on is a man whose mind is easily probed." That was Pam, always practical.

Rachel snorted and affixed the earrings in her ears and ran a brush through her hair. Pam eyed her appreciatively. She _had_ worked a subtle change. Rachel had the kind of hair that most women would kill to get: long and thick with a slight natural wave, and wearing it down gave her an instant sexiness, despite her casual clothes and grumpy demeanor.

"By the end of the night, it'll look like I've been through a hedge backwards" Rachel grumbled. "My hair gets frizzy in this humidity."

"Sookie, hair spray!" Pam snapped her fingers, which I didn't appreciate, but I rummaged a small bottle out of my handbag. Taking the bottle from me and the brush from Rachel, Pam misted Rachel's head and brushed her hair out until it lay smooth and shiny. "There. Don't touch it. Have you been practicing your glamoring?"

"Yes" Rachel made a face. Although Bill had taught her fairly well how to glamour humans, she didn't like doing it; she hadn't been a vampire long enough to get over the feeling it was dishonest.

"Good. If Sookie gets any information out of any of your brother's friends, you get him alone and see what he can tell you."

"Okay."

"And _please_ call that Wallace woman and let her know you're all right. She keeps calling the bar to look for you; it's very annoying."

"Right."

"Come to Fangtasia when you're finished. I'm so sorry I won't have time to say hello to your _darling _brother tonight, but it's really better not to overwhelm him…" Pam fluffed her own hair in the mirror with a satisfied smile.

A horn honked outside and Pam waved us off. When we got outside, the horn honked again, then played a few bars of "Dixie". Billy got out, "HEY L'IL BIT! LOOKIN' HOT! I'M GONNA HAVE FUN WATCHIN' Y'ALL TONIGHT!"

Rachel gave him the finger and he laughed. She slid in next to him in the cab of the truck and I caught a flash of disappointment as well as quite a lot of wistful envy. Billy knew I belonged to another man, and he thought there was no way a human lover could measure up to a vampire. He remembered his old girlfriend with bitterness. And most interesting of all, his grammar was about nine times better inside his head. His accent disappeared, too.

Charlemagne's was crowded, but four good ole boys at a large table called to Billy at once. He greeted his friends, who all stared at Rachel. She seemed to be well-liked among them; I caught phrases like "damn shame" and "Man, if I ever find out who did it I'm gonna get those Molotov cocktails out of the garage." As Pam had predicted, however, there was also an undercurrent of lust, which kicked up quite a few notches as they examined me.

"What'll ya have?" one burly guy with the name "Wade" embroidered on the pocket asked Billy. "I'm buyin'."

"A COORS FOR ME, TRU-BLOOD FOR MY SIS, AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE, SOOKIE?"

"Beer's fine" I said.

"ANOTHER COORS FOR SOOKIE."

Wade gave our orders to a passing waitress. "What kind of Tru-Blood?" she asked, looking nervously at Rachel, as if she expected to be attacked and bitten at any second.

"O-negative" Rachel said calmly. "And I'd like it hot. Thank you."

The girl zipped out of sight at once. I caught a few lines of the Lord's Prayer as she left.

"So what happened?" Wade asked, cracking his huge knuckles. "Do you know who gotcha?"

"No. I don't remember a thing" Rachel shook her head. "I just woke up in a tub of Billy's potting soil in the basement at Fangtasia and I was…like I am now."

Wade nodded and his thoughts were grim. He suspected someone who had it in for Billy, maybe an employee he'd fired or someone Billy owed money to. And he thought that if he ever found that person, they were as good as staked. "You talked to that boy you fired?" he asked Billy.

"YEAH. FIRST THING. HE'S GOT AN AIRTIGHT ALIBI…I KNOW THE BARTENDER OVER AT MORLEY'S AND HE WAS THERE SHOOTING POOL ALL NIGHT. THERE WAS A TOURNAMENT."

"Goddamn bloosuckers" another of Billy's friends said, shaking his head. "They want civil rights and they run around attacking our citizens?! Someone oughta just burn em' all out. Fuckin' freaks!"

Rachel coughed and the guy had the grace to look ashamed. "Sorry, Rachel…I didn't mean you."

"So where did you find this pretty l'il thang?" Wade grinned lazily at me.

"FRIEND OF RACHE'S. SHE'S TAKEN, THOUGH."

"That's what _I_ call a goddamn shame" Wade winked at me, his head full of lascivious imagery involving Rachel and myself. I liked him anyway, though. He was truly worried about both Dupree siblings, and I gathered he had been their friend since they were young.

Billy's other friends were an ordinary bunch of guys; nary a supe among them. The thoughts of several of them had flown to Tonya Allen, but as far as they knew, she was still human. Eric and Pam were looking for her vampire companion in order to test his blood against Rachel's. A maker always leaves a trace on his or her offspring.

We chatted together about the next Saints game and I found myself listening more and more to Billy's thoughts. Even though they were on the game and the sum of money he had bet on it, he sounded like a whole different person. I wondered why he felt compelled to put on the redneck act. And just as I was wondering that, I heard that special silence in the mishmash of thoughts and feelings floating around the bar that could only mean one thing: that there was another vampire present.

I craned my neck and looked around. The silence was coming from a huge blond man in biker leather who was seated at a shadowy corner table. I groaned inwardly. It was Eric.

Fat chance Rachel's maker would re-visit the scene of the crime with _him _around! He caught my gaze and grinned. I resisted an urge to go over to his table and clonk him on the head.

I worked on blocking him out as I sifted through the thoughts of the others at the table, but it looked like I was hitting another dead end. Billy's friends' minds were firmly fixated on the usual guy stuff: sex, football, money, and more sex. One of them was gay, with a huge crush on Wade that he was carefully keeping secret, but nobody had any idea who could have attacked Rachel. I did notice one other interesting thing, however. There seemed to be a sort of silent communication between Rachel and her brother. It wasn't exactly telepathy—it was more unconscious than that—but they were very in tune with each others moods, even with Rachel's transformation.

Screams erupted from the back of the bar. Our waitress came tearing in yelling, "Lynn! Call 911! There's a body out back in the alley!"

_There goes her job_, I thought, as several patrons grabbed for their coat pockets and Eric rose instantly from his table. Everyone raced outside to see the mayhem, including Wade and the rest of Billy's friends. Rachel and I followed along behind. When we got outside, Eric pushed his way through the crowd and I followed, tugging Rachel along and Billy trailing after us. When we got to the front of the throng, it was plain to see that the alley was full of dead vampire. What was left of him had a stake through it, and there was blood and goo everywhere. Vampires do _not_ die neatly.

Eric beckoned. "Rachel, come here."

She did, and Eric promptly took her wrist and bit into it.

"_Ow!"_

"Oh please. That was _nothing_. Don't embarrass yourself." He poked a finger into the dead vampire goo and licked it. After a minute or two of comparing the flavors, he nodded. "I think we've found your maker."

"Who…_was_ it?" Rachel asked, looking completely revolted.

"No idea. The taint isn't one I recognize. I'll need some of his leavings to test against our records." Efficiently, Eric whipped a plastic baggie out of his pocket and began scooping some of the gunk into it. I heard someone gag and caught a thread of thought: _Oh shit! Oh shit! I'm dead! Goddamn it, I TOLD Stu not to go out there!_

I whipped my head around, but I couldn't figure out who in the crowd was doing the thinking, there was such a roar of mental voices. The voice was female, so I concentrated on the women. It took a lot of effort to block the men's voices while still hearing the women's. I knew I was gonna have a hell of a migraine later.

_I've gotta get out of here! Leave town…I can call Daisy and tell her I have the flu, then Texas or maybe California where Michelle is. Yeah, California…_

A woman in a purple dress was backing away down the alley, her face white and grim. I thought the thoughts might be hers and I began to make my way through the crowd. "Sookie!" Rachel called, but I didn't stop. I knew if I didn't catch her I wouldn't have a hope of finding her.

The woman saw me coming and caught my stare. Her own eyes widened with terror and she turned and ran. She needn't have bothered. Eric was beside her in an instant_. "Going somewhere?!"_ he hissed, baring his fangs.

The woman screamed so loud my ears hurt, then collapsed in Eric's arms. "Sorry", he said smoothly as heads turned in our direction. "My girlfriend scares easily."

Rachel arrived a few moments later, gingerly threading her way through the crowd. "Come on" Eric said, still loudly enough for people nearby to hear. "Let's get you home, Crystal."

Rachel looked questioningly at me. I gave her a look and nodded for her to follow Eric.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea to let us through. Billy joined us as we made our way back to the street. He stared at the unconscious girl in Eric's arms, then at Eric. "We need to get her to Fangtasia" he said. "Will you take Sookie home?"

Billy swallowed. "You're not gonna hurt her, are you?"

"I would never hurt Sookie. _Go._"

Billy didn't need to be told twice. "Rache?"

"She's coming with me." Eric said. Billy looked at Rachel, who nodded slowly.

"Did he know that gal'?" Billy asked as we got into his truck. He had already made some excuse to his friends.

"No. I don't think so."

"Is he gonna kill her? I mean for real, do you think he is?"

I sighed, feeling more than a little sick. "I don't know."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Who's **__**Your Daddy**__**?**_

_**Pam—POV**_

"Darlin', _please_ pester someone else for a while." I managed to peel Justin from around my neck as I made my way across the crowded bar to Eric. Rachel followed at his heels.

"We have a winner. Rachel's maker was staked in the alley outside of Charlemagne's. Unfortunately, the taste isn't one I recognize. Rachel?"

Rachel held out a baggie of dead vampire, looking completely revolted. I tasted it. It was vaguely familiar, but I couldn't put a name to it right away; I was more interested in the unconscious human woman Eric was carrying. "Who's that?"

"Someone Sookie spotted. She tried to run when she saw me coming."

"_Anyone_ would try to run if they saw you coming. What did Sookie say? And where is she?"

"I sent her back with Rachel's brother. This could get unpleasant, and I'd rather not expose her to—"

"—just how much of a bastard you can be. After all, we wouldn't want her to think even _less_ of you, would we?" I finished. "Jesus, Eric! Do I have to think of _everything_?! The whole _point _of having Sookie here was so she could pick brains, wasn't it?" I sighed. "Take Sleepin' Beauty to the office and wake her up. I'll be there in a minute." Justin had re-appeared and was busily groping my backside. "What did I tell _you_, Justin?"

"I can't help myself" he panted. He was a good-looking young fangbanger—blond and lean with gorgeous hazel eyes. I liked him, but he was a definite nuisance. I kissed his forehead. "I'm going to leave you in Dana's capable hands for a while. You behave yourself while I'm gone" I beckoned Dana over. She smiled at him, her green eyes glowing against her white skin. They were startling with her naturally black hair. She was excellent with fangbangers, knowing just how much to give and just how much to withhold. The result was loads of regular customers.

The woman Eric had brought in was huddled on the office sofa, shaking with terror. "If this is about the V, I swear I only tried it once! It was at this party! I don't even know who brought it—"

"Shut up" Eric said coldly. "You're going to answer our questions and answer them honestly. Understand?"

She nodded. Tears were starting to pour down her cheeks. I went to the desk and called Bill. When he answered, I asked if Sookie had gotten back yet. He said she had and I told him to bring her to Fangtasia immediately.

"Did you know the vampire who died tonight?"

"Yes", she whispered.

"Who is he?" Eric's pupils dilated and I saw the woman relax. "He said his name was Galen."

"When did you meet him?"

"My boyfriend introduced me to him at a party."

"When was this?"

"My birthday. April 5th."

"How did your boyfriend know this vampire?"

Her face twisted and cords stood out in her neck as she tried to pull her gaze away from Eric's. Her hands were gripping the sofa arm like a life raft.

"_Don't make me repeat myself"_ Eric hissed.

The woman sobbed. She tried to grit her teeth together, but the words escaped anyway. _"He…a… V…dealer."_

"Did he capture the vampire and drain the blood by force?"

"_No…He just bought the blood from Galen… It… was… Galen's …blood." _

"How do you know?"

"_I…wa…watched."_

Eric beckoned Rachel forward. "Do you recognize this vampire? Look at her closely."

"_Mrrgh! Gagh!" _

"Enough, Eric" I said. The pitiful thing was starting to choke. Only another vampire can make a human resist glamouring like that. Something was rotten here. "Let Sookie talk to her."

"Very well."

The woman fell back against the sofa, gasping. I got her a box of tissues and handed them to her. "Next time, don't try and fight. It will hurt a lot less."

The office door opened and Sookie appeared. She took one look at the woman on the couch and turned to Eric. "What'd you do to her?!"

"I merely asked her some questions."

"She says the vampire that was killed tonight was called Galen and that she knows him because he sold some of his blood to her boyfriend while she watched." I said.

Sookie regarded the woman silently. "She's telling you the truth", she said after a moment. "And she's terrified. Is your boyfriend named Stu, honey?"

The woman nodded. Sookie's gentle voice has a calming effect. Her breathing seemed to be slowing down.

"Do you know where he is?"

"If Galen's dead" the woman croaked. "It can only mean that Stu went out to his place. We haven't seen Galen in almost a month, and the V supply was getting low. Galen lives with a bunch of other vampires in this big house outside of town. They didn't know he was selling. Stu told me if anyone found out we were as good as dead and so was Galen."

She was right. A vampire who sells his own blood is considered to be a traitor by most of us. Her boyfriend was probably dead, too.

"Did Galen tell you where he was from?" Sookie asked.

"California."

Sookie watched the woman for a moment and nodded slightly. "She doesn't know Rachel. It was Stu who mostly dealt with Galen."

"And odds are good that Galen wasn't his real name and he really wasn't from California." I sighed. "We'll have to contact their queen. I _hate_ royal protocol."

Rachel had been silent during the interrogation. Now she spoke up. "If your boyfriend _is _alive" she said flatly to the woman, "I'm gonna kick his ass."


	7. Chapter 7

"_Rachel!"_ Bill scolded.

"I mean it" I said stubbornly. "My maker's dead, so kicking her boyfriend's ass is the next best thing. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be in this mess."

"You will do no such thing, Rachel."

"Touch Stu and I'll stake you, you undead bitch!" the woman shrieked.

"_ENOUGH"_ Eric said. "Nobody is killing anyone… yet. In fact, it's of paramount importance that Stu be found. Or the vampires this Galen was staying with. Can you take us there?"

The woman nodded slowly, looking terrified.

We piled into two separate vehicles. Eric stuffed me into the back of his car alongside Pam and had the woman ride up front next to him. Pam shoved a couple of bottles of True Blood at me. "Drink these up and _behave_", she hissed.

"Yes, ma'am" I muttered.

She pinched me. Hard. _"And do NOT call me ma'am!"_

I rubbed my arm. It hurt like hell—enough to make my eyes sting, but I was damned if I'd cry. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Not to mention the fact that it would make a big mess; when you're dead, you cry blood, not tears.

We drove out beyond Bon Temps into this real whistle-stop little place called Shade Tree. The woman directed us to this falling-down old house. As we approached, white faces appeared at the windows and the door opened before Eric even had a chance to knock.

"Sheriff Northman! What brings you here?" A thin man with sandy hair and glasses stepped onto the porch. Behind him were three girls, two vampire and one not.

"Do you recognize this woman, Tobias?" Eric pulled the woman from Charlegmange's forward.

Tobias nodded, his eyebrows raised. "She comes here often with her companion. What has she done?"

Pam pushed me from behind so I stumbled into Eric's back. He pulled me forward with his other hand. "The woman has done nothing that we know of, but one of the vampires here, Galen, created this fledgling and then abandoned her. We found him staked in an alley tonight."

Tobias stared at me, his gaze piercing. "Are you sure the fledgling is telling the truth?"

"When we found her, she was glamoured" Eric said. He gripped my hand and I knew to keep my mouth shut. "I tested the remains. Rachel is Galen's child. Clearly, he did not plan to acknowledge her."

Tobias nodded. Turning back into the house, he shouted, "Tatiana! Scarlet! Come here."

Two more vampire girls appeared. One of them I knew immediately. She knew me, too. Her eyes got wide and she spun away, but Tobias' hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder. "You know something about this, Tatiana?"

"Her name's Tonya" I said. "Tonya Allen."

Pam came up behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders. "You used to date Rachel's brother?" she asked. Like Eric had done, she gave me a warning squeeze.

"For a while" Tonya said. Her voice was the same as I remembered—shrill and twangy. _Tatiana_, my ass.

"You left him for Galen?"

"Yeah. A year ago."

"And you haven't seen him since?"

"No."

"She's lying" Sookie said unnecessarily. _I_ could have told them that. Tonya was standing there looking at me and although I could tell she was afraid of Tobias and Eric, a vindictive little smile was lurking around the corners of her mouth.

"Come inside" Tobias said quietly. "And we will settle this. If you would, Sheriff?"

Eric and Pam promptly flanked Tonya on each side and kind of frog-marched her into the house. Sookie, Bill and I followed. Tobias led us into the kitchen and told the vampire girls that we were to be left strictly alone.

Eric and Pam shoved Tonya into a chair. "I suggest you begin telling the truth" Eric said. "Galen is dead. We found him staked in the alley behind Charlemagne's."

Tonya's white skin turned even whiter. Despite her own vampiric transformation, she still maintained a bad bleach job. That's what kind of girl she was.

"No!" she whispered. "No, it's not true!"

"I'm afraid it is. This woman…what's your name, by the way?" He turned to the woman from the alley.

"Kayla".

"Kayla saw the body as well." The woman nodded. She was starting to look green. "Where is Stu?" she croaked hoarsely.

"Dead, honey!" Tonya grinned viciously. "Toby took care of him. Fucking Vee-dealing scum."

Eric turned to Toby, who nodded. "Stuart Avery was a drifter. There shouldn't be any problem with any of the authorities. He came here looking for Galen, but none of us had seen him in several weeks. When Scarlet told him that Galen wasn't there, he threatened her. We found him carrying a draining kit." Tobias opened a cupboard under the sink and took out a black backpack. He dumped it out onto the kitchen table. There were all kinds of chains and locks and handcuffs in there, all made (if what Bill had told me about drainers was true), of silver. There were also hypodermic needles, little bottles like insulin bottles, a mallet, and a supply of stakes. Kayla took one look and began to cry.

"Scarlet is my woman" Tobias went on, his thick drawl as cold as ice. "I could not allow her to be harmed. And you know what the penalty for draining is."

Eric nodded, looking bored. "I am not concerned with Stuart Avery. Kayla tells us that Galen sold his blood freely. Were you aware of this, Tobias?"

Tobias took a deep breath; his face was like stone. "If I had, I would have done away with him myself. Based on their behavior when they were together, I assumed that Avery and his woman were Galen's and Tatiana's pets."

I glanced at Sookie. She was studying Tobias intently, but she didn't speak.

"There were parties". Tobias went on. "The young ones of my nest like to entertain, and as long as they are within the law, I do not interfere. Galen and Tatiana often brought humans here. Tatiana…" he turned to Tonya. "Did Galen say anything to you about making a new fledgling?"

Tonya smiled a little. An I've-got-a-secret smile. "No, he never said anything to me about it."

"Was it your idea?" that was Sookie.

"I don't have to answer anything _you_ say, mortal!"

Jesus Christ on rollerskates! You'd think the bitch had been dead for a hundred years! It was so hammy I rolled my eyes; I couldn't help it.

"But you _do_ have to answer me" Eric leaned forward. "And I suggest you do so truthfully. There are penalties for abandoning a fledgling as well as for selling blood, and it is my right to decide those penalties. _Was it your idea to turn Rachel?_"

"No" said Tonya, laughing. "But I liked the idea."

I saw Eric look at Sookie. Almost imperceptibly, she shook her head.

Eric nodded briskly. "Everyone leave except Tobias. Pam and Bill, take Sookie and Rachel back to Shreveport."

I didn't want to go. I wanted to hear Tonya try to talk herself out of this mess and fail. I wanted to see Eric or Tobias punish her. I was so angry that if Pam hadn't been hanging onto me, I think I would have broken her neck myself!

Pam had to pull me out of my chair. "Come _on_, darlin'" she hissed into my ear. "Believe me…you _don't_ want to see this."

"Yes, I do."

"Then let me re-phrase: _Get into that car right now._ That's an order."

"Come on, Rachel" Sookie said gently. "You can ride with us. Pam's right; this is probably gonna get really nasty. Vampire punishments are horrible."

"Good!" I said furiously. But Bill shook his head. "Rachel, if she confesses, the _least_ thing that will happen is that her fangs will be ripped out for five years. That's the least thing."

"What's the worst thing?"

"That _she'll_ be made your guardian." Pam's voice was cool.

"_What?!"_ I shrieked. I could not believe my ears!

"She was the closest to your maker. And if turning you was her idea…" Pam gave a deliberate little shrug. "I could even recommend it, as your present caretaker. So I suggest you get in one of the cars before I decide that's the best idea."

I felt cold all over. I hadn't really given much thought to the power Pam had over me. She rarely exercised it; she treated me, in fact, like a mildly amusing nuisance, sometime flirting with me, other times ignoring me, but never paying me more than a teaspoonful of attention at a time. But looking into her smooth face and calm, cold eyes, I knew she could do it. _Would_ do it.

I got in behind Sookie.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Sookie—POV**_

Rachel was silent all the way back to Bon Temps. It wasn't a good sign. Rachel was normally a fairly talkative sort. I glanced into the rear-view and saw her sitting the way she always sat when she had something on her mind: her feet tucked up, her arms around her knees and her head resting on them. It was kind of amazing that she could still sit like that in the back seat of a car with her seatbelt buckled.

"Rachel? Are you all right, honey?"

"Yeah, I guess" Rachel sighed. "I just never thought she'd do that. I know she doesn't really want to be saddled with me, but I never thought she'd hand me over to someone like Tonya."

"She's not gonna do that" I tried to sound re-assuring but I was worried about that, too. Who knew, really, what went on in Pam's mind? I just knew that given several solutions, she could be counted on to take the most practical one.

"It would solve her problem, wouldn't it?" Rachel sounded bitter. "I may not have been dead long, but one thing I already know about vampires is that they don't really give much of a shit."

I kind of expected Bill to reprimand her for her language, but he didn't speak. He looked straight ahead at the road and I had no idea what he was thinking.

In the back seat, Rachel took out her cell phone and punched in a number. "Hello…Lynette?" she said after a moment. "This is Rachel Dupree…yes, I'm fine. We found my maker…no, he's dead. He won't be claiming me. I don't know…maybe Yeah, you can send the information. You might as well."

"She wants to send me information about those group homes" Rachel snapped the phone shut. "Maybe that'll keep her off Pam's back."

"Rachel, you know what we told you about those places." Bill sounded tired. For reasons I couldn't yet grasp, the events of the night seemed to have taken a lot out of him.

"Yeah. But how do we know she won't send me there, anyway? _That _would solve her problem, too. And I'd rather _be_ dead than have to live with Tonya."

"Don't talk like that" Bill said shortly.

_He's thought of it, too._ I realized with a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Bill" I said carefully. "Isn't there something Rachel can do to _earn_ her independence?"

"Not that I know of. She'd have to save someone's life."

"Fat chance of that" Rachel snorted.

"I don't think Pam will do anything just yet" I said slowly. "She and Eric still have to find out more. But if they can find out where Galen really came from, his king or queen might have some responsibility towards you."

"Not too damn likely, Sookie" Bill was grim. "His king or queen will want an easy solution, especially if it turns out he was from California. Carmen de la Garza is not going to trouble herself about one orphan vampire that didn't even get turned in her state. She's having enough trouble trying to crack down on the Vee-trade and still hang onto her throne."

Rachel didn't say anything more. We drove back to the house and she went straight to her room. I went home and when I returned the next day, I found Pam and Eric at the house and everyone in a panic.

Rachel had disappeared.

_**Pam—POV**_

"_Goddamn it!"_ I paced back and forth, reading and re-reading the note Bill had found propped on Rachel's nightstand. "When I catch her I'm going to make her sorry she ever died!"

According to Bill, after Rachel had gotten back from the house in Shade Tree, she had gone directly to bed. The next night, Bill awoke to find her gone. She had taken a backpack and some personal items and left a note. It said:

_Dear Bill and Sookie,_

_Thank you so much for giving me a place to live. I hate to _

_leave like this but I refuse to just wait around and get _

_killed. If I'm given to Tonya, she'll find away to make my _

_death look like an accident. If I'm handed over to the _

_queen of California, she'll probably kill me outright. If_

_I go to a group home, I will be quietly dispatched by the _

_authorities._

_For now, I want to live._

_Rachel_

_P.S. Don't bother my family or Billy. I won't be going to them._

"Invoke the mark" Eric said grimly.

"I _have_ been invoking the mark!" I hissed. "She's _blocking_ me…God only knows how or how much it's costing her, but she is. I can't get her to answer or a fix on her location!"

I'd been kicking the hell out of myself. Last night, all I had wanted to do was get her in the goddamn car before the screaming started (And there was a _lot_ of screaming. Tonya Allen took a while to break) and she was defying me. So I _had_ to threaten her. You have to clamp down on young vampires or they'll try to run all over you—any vamp with half a brain knows that!

And now she was gone. And from the look on Bill's and Sookie's faces, they blamed me. Eric was neutral; he simply wanted to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

"I don't blame her" Jessica said, yawning as she turned a page in the fashion magazine she was reading. She was the only one who wasn't upset. "She doesn't _have_ to obey any of y'all so why in the hell should she? It's not like any of you promised to _keep_ her or anything."

I itched to slap her. The worst part was that she was right. Eric and I certainly hadn't wanted Rachel, and Bill only took her in because we made him. Only Sookie had any sort of real bond with her.

"How's she gonna live?" Sookie asked worriedly. "She won't have access to True Blood without money, and the library said she called and said she wasn't coming back."

"Well, _duh_!" Jessica laughed and rolled her eyes.

"If you can't think of anything helpful to say, Jessica, I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Bill growled.

"And I suggest you butt-fuck a silver stick, but that doesn't mean you're gonna do it."

"_OUT!"_

Jessica got up with an exaggerated sigh and left.

"Have you called her family?" Eric asked.

"Not yet. I thought it would be better for Sookie and me to break the news to them in person. Sookie can scan them and see if Rachel contacted them at all." Bill's voice was full of distaste. "I'm not looking forward to telling her mother."

"We may as well get it over with."

We drove to Sookie's family home…a small house in a nondescript suburb. We rang the doorbell. An older man who looked exactly like Billy answered the door, took one look at the white faces on his doorstep, and called, "Elsie! It's for you!"

"Yeah?" Rachel's mother came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Seeing us all there, she sized up the situation at once. "OH MY DEAR LORD! SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO MY BABY!"

Bill stepped forward. "Rachel has gone from my house, Mrs. Dupree. It is vital that we find her. Has she spoken to you at all?"

"NO! WHAT DID Y'ALL _DO_ TO HER?!!!"

Everyone looked at me. Oh now this was _really_ unfair! What _had_ I done, after all, except try to ensure the little idiot wasn't prematurely traumatized by our interrogation methods?!

"We found the one who made her, Mrs. Dupree. Unfortunately, he was already dead when we found him. The situation was…upsetting." I said delicately.

"JESUS. OH JESUS CHRIST."

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Bill asked.

"Billy" that was Rachel's father. "If she was upset enough to run away, she won't go without telling Billy. What the Sam Hill happened?"

Mrs. Dupree had rushed back into the kitchen. I heard a phone being picked up, then the _shhk, shhk, shhk_ of a rotary dial. "We've been trying to find Rachel's maker for a while now" Sookie explained to Rachel's father. "Finally, he turned up dead in an alley behind Charlemagne's Bar and Grill, and we managed to talk to a woman that knew him. We think he might have turned Rachel as a favor to his girlfriend. His girlfriend used to date your son."

"Tonya Allen" Mr. Dupree said without any surprise. "Goddamn it. I _knew _that gal was no good the minute I laid eyes on her. I've got half a mind to load up my gun."

"That won't be necessary" I said dryly.

He looked at me for a moment without saying anything. Then he nodded. "Good."

A man after my own heart.

"BILLY! THIS IS YOUR MAMA! IS RACHEL WITH YOU? THE VAMPIRES SHE WAS LIVIN' WITH SAYS SHE'S RUN AWAY!"

There was a pause to which we all listened.

"THEY'RE HERE, BILLY! AT THE HOUSE! YES, YOU COME ON! COME AS FAST AS YOU CAN! AND BRING PASTOR BOB!"

I had no idea what good Mrs. Dupree thought a preacher would be. I had done some homework on Pastor Bob—Pastor John Robert Hennessy—to see if he was part of Fellowship of the Sun or any other rabid anti-vampire church, but it turned out he was an ordinary Baptist.

Elsie came back out of the kitchen. "THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY. CAN I GET Y'ALL ANYTHING? I GOT SOME OF THAT TRUE-BLOOD FOR RACHEL…"

Eric and Bill declined. I said, "I'd like some A, if you have it."

"I GOT EVERYTHIN' IT'S A MIXED CASE. YOU WANT IT HEATED?"

"Please."

"WHAT ABOUT YOU?" she turned to Sookie. "COFFEE? A COKE?"

"Coffee would be nice. Thank you, Mrs. Dupree."

Billy and the pastor were there in short order. I have to admit, Pastor Bob surprised me. He was about sixty, tall, with blue eyes and calm, finely carved features—not at all how I would have imagined him. I imagine all members of the local clergy as short, fat, balding, and perpetually smiling. (Particularly when they're talking about killing vampires.)

"What happened?" was all Billy said. Since his question was directed at Sookie, we let her explain. Unlike his parents, however, Billy asked what happened _after_ we located Tonya. Of course, everyone looked at me again. _Thanks a_ lot, _Eric._ I thought, _It's not as if _you _couldn't have fielded this one._

"Eric asked her some questions" I said. "And we took Rachel back to Bill's." I waited to see if Sookie was going to tattle on me. I knew Bill wouldn't, but Sookie has a troublesome habit of not doing as she's told. Bill indulges her far too much, in my opinion. As for Eric, well…_all _of us knew what Eric's problem was.

Sookie didn't say anything. She just glared at me and crossed her arms. _I'm waiting_, she seemed to say.

_Wait forever!_ I thought back in frustration.

"I discovered that Miss Allen convinced her lover, Galen, that she desired Rachel as a companion" Eric's voice was even but his eyes were watchful. "Galen was very fond of Tonya, so he did as she asked. She disposed of Rachel's body at your shop, Mr. Dupree…she left her in your potting soil because she knew Billy would be the first one there in the evenings. It was her hope that Rachel's thirst would compel her to attack him. She didn't know that a newly-risen fledgling cannot turn anyone. They are not strong enough. She also wanted Billy's family to feel the shame of having a vampire daughter."

"She's so stupid!" Billy groaned. "If she wanted me to be a vampire so bad, she could have had the guy attack me instead."

"I'd go with the _second_ reason, son" Rachel's father said harshly.

"I never realized how far she was willing to go, so maybe I'm the stupid one. Tonya called me for a while, you see, not long after she took up with her vampire. She wanted to come back…she said he treated her like she was his dog or something. I wouldn't take her back. I said I didn't take _any_ man's sloppy seconds, especially some…" (he had the grace to blush while he said it) "…fuckin' undead bloodsucker's."

"BALLETOIS JOSEPH DUPREE, WHAT'D I SAY TO YOU ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE?"

"Sorry, Mama" he said sheepishly.

_Balletois?_ I gave myself a mental shake. Things were getting surreal.

"It doesn't answer why my daughter felt like she had to run away" Mr. Dupree gazed at us, his dark eyes narrow and calculating. "Is there something y'all aren't telling?"

"Rachel was _very_ angry" Sookie said, still glaring at me. "We kind of had a hard time convincing her to come home with us."

Eric nodded at me. "Pam?"

_You're staked, Northman. The first thing I'm gonna do when this is all over is tell Sookie that you have a little dick._

I blew out my breath in frustration. "She wouldn't get in the car, and it was imperative that we get her out of there. The interrogation methods we use are pretty gruesome, and as her protector, I didn't think it wise for her to have to see them at such a young age. I threatened her."

"With what!?" Billy (Balletois) demanded

"I told Rachel that it was possible that she might be given into Miss Allen's care, since Miss Allen bears the responsibility for her transformation." I admitted.

"YOU WHAT?!!!" Mrs. Dupree shrieked. I winced. That woman's voice could shatter glass in Timbuktu!

Rachel's father stared at me, his gaze thirty degrees chillier. "Looks like the _really_ stupid one here is you" he said. "What the _hell_ kind of protector are you, anyway?"

Eric held up his hand. "In our world, Mr. Dupree, a young vampire obeys their elders without question if they wish to live. They do not defy a direct order given to them. If Rachel had attacked Miss Allen, she would have been severely punished. Vampire law enforcement never asks who started a fight—we just finish it. Pam's choice of method may not have been the wisest, but she succeeded in getting Rachel away from the area, and that was just what she needed to do."

"And now she's gone God-knows-where" Mr. Dupree finished. His wife had started to cry. "OOOOHHHH GOD, MY POOR BABY!"

"_She didn't call me!"_ Billy shouted over his mother's caterwauling. _"But I've got a good idea where she's headed!"_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Rachel—POV**_

For a while, I didn't know where I was. After I left Bill's I started hearing Pam's voice in my mind, ordering me to come back. I kept going and discovered that each step sent what felt like an ocean of fire through my nervous system. One step. Two steps. Left foot. Right foot. I couldn't think once the pain started. I just tried to stay in a straight line.

I ran south out of Bon Temps, knowing where I was going but struggling not to let any picture of it enter my mind. I knew they would follow me—I was expecting that—but the thing was to not let them find me. Or anyone find me. I had stuffed my backpack with True-Blood, money I had gotten from an ATM in town, my favorite book, a flashlight, and my old girl-scout pocket knife and compass and slipped out of the back door when I heard Bill rise. I ran across the yard and onto the street and kept going as fast as I could. Let me tell you, I was blessing my vampire speed! Humans couldn't see me, and until Bill raised the alarm, vampires wouldn't be looking for me.

It was a nasty thing to do to Bill, me leaving like that. I figured Eric would probably blame him. I hoped he would forgive me one day.

"_RACHEL…!"_

It slowed me down. Every time I heard it and resisted a spasm of nausea nearly did me in.

"_RACHEL…!"_

I found out it helped if I dug my nails into the flesh of my arms. And bit my tongue really hard. And hummed really loudly through my nose.

"_RACHEL…GET BACK HERE NOW!"_

I doubled over with dry heaves. I had slowed to a walk. In another minute, I would be crawling, but at least I was getting further away. I looked around. I was on the stretch of road leading back to Shreveport . There were woods on both sides. I headed for them.

"_RACHEL, DON'T MAKE THIS SITUATION WORSE THAN IT IS. YOU ARE IN _DEEP_ TROUBLE."_

I hummed, almost screeched, the national anthem. Blood started to drip from my nose.

I had to get new clothes. I would change my appearance. I would stay away from towns.

Only one thing bothered me. Could Pam or Eric fly?

_**Pam—POV**_

By the time we got on the road, I was in a _seriously_ foul mood.

The Duprees—Father, Mother, Son, and Spiritual Advisor—insisted on going along. It took them forever to get their VW van started. Bill finally had to use his jumper cables. Eric had urged them to stay home, but Mama Dupree shrieked, 'ARE Y'ALL OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!! RACHEL IS MY BABY AND I'M GONNA FIND HER AND BRING HER HOME AND _NONE_ OF Y'ALL ARE GONNA COME NEAR HER EVER AGAIN!!!"

"Will you _hush _and get in the g.d. car, Mama?!" Billy gave her a little push. Pa Dupree loaded his shotgun with silver bullets. "Got em' special, once I heard." He said with a mirthless chuckle. "Any of you try to hurt her and someone's gonna die, understand?"

I opened my mouth but Eric stomped on my foot. "Of course, Mr. Dupree" he replied smoothly.

"Billy, if you would ride with us, you can direct us" Bill offered. That was big of him—to allow Billy in the car with Sookie. Or maybe he was trying to make a point.

"Pam will follow with my car. And I…" Eric rose into the air, leaving Rachel's family to gawp at him. _Showoff!_

Eric took off, leaving the rest of us to follow Bill and Sookie. I was glad I was alone in the vehicle. I felt like spitting nails. Invoking the mark takes a lot of energy, and Rachel's resistance was wearing me out. My foot hurt and Eric had gotten his nasty black boot prints all over my brand-new Jimmy Choos. I was also worried for Rachel, and that made me even more furious—that I should have to endure all this for a _human! _It was_ insufferable!_

_But she's _not_ a human. She's a vampire, _a small voice in my mind protested.

_She's _acting_ like a human,_ I told the voice wrathfully. _Creatures who never think; they just react._ Dogs _have more sense!_

Bill turned onto the road that led south to Shreveport and eventually to New Orleans. It made sense that Rachel would head there. New Orleans is so full of vampires it would be easy for her to disappear; we had to stop her before that.

I saw Eric as a pale speck, far ahead in the night sky. I kept calling Rachel, only to be treated to a shrill, eardrum-shattering rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. The little bitch had a sense of irony; I had to give her that.

Finally, the lines on the road began to waver in front of my eyes and I had to stop. I had to grip my hands hard on the steering wheel; they were cold and they trembled. It would have served Eric right if I wrecked his 30,000-dollar car, but I was not willing to take the risk of banging myself up.

_**Sookie—POV**_

"She'll be running for the coast" Billy said flatly as he climbed into the back of Bill's car. "There's a place in Gulf Shores…we always went there when we were kids. She kept going back all through college, even though Dad sold the house ages ago. She would just stay at a motel and go to the same beach. Stubborn…but it was her favorite place to heal."

Bill glanced at me out of the corner of his eye; I could see the surprise in his face. Billy was speaking in a perfectly normal voice, his accent diminished to a faint trace. The genial good ol' boy I had met was completely gone.

"Heal from what?" he asked.

"My sister has had a lot of heartbreak. It's hard when you have to hide all the time…" Billy looked thoughtfully from me to Bill. "I don't guess she's told you much about herself, but she's close to being a certified genius. And it's more than that. Do you remember the night when I first came to y'all's house and I mentioned that I had a little savvy?"

"Yeah." I said.

"It's like a talent. Rachel started calling it savvy after she read some book about these kids with weird powers. She can move things with her mind…start fires; sometimes she can affect the weather. Me, I tend to _know_ about things. Sometimes I'll know who's gonna win a fight, even if I never saw em' fight before. And if you hand me something like a ball or a shirt, I'll know all about the owner."

In a way, I wasn't surprised. My own contact with the world of the supernatural was limited, but I had already figured out that the humans that were attracted to Supes—and were attractive to them—were the ones who had such glitches. It usually meant they had a Supe ancestor.

"Our Great-great-granddaddy on Dad's side was a medicine man…he came from a long line of them. Pastor Bob is from the same tribe."

"So there's some witch blood" Bill said.

"Yeah, but don't call it that in front of Mama…the idea scares her silly. Her mother, our Grandma Fan, used to beat her when she said she could see dead people. Granny Fan was a bible-thumping, holly-rolling woman. Mama calls her dead folks angels now. Pastor Bob helped her with all that."

"Does Rachel know how to use her powers? Really use them?" I asked.

"She _could_. If she wanted to. But Rachel's always just wanted to be normal. Most of the time, she stays away from people because she's afraid they'll find out, afraid something weird will happen while she's around them. In college she dated this girl for a while, and then Rachel caught her with another girl. Right in the act. The girl's dorm room caught fire. Nobody was hurt, but that girl spread the story around all over the place and nobody would have anything to do with Rachel anymore. And Mama always drummed it into both of us that being normal's the best thing you can be."

"That explains it. I wondered how such a young vampire as Rachel was able to resist Pam's call." Bill sighed. "No, she never said anything about this. And nothing ever happened to make me think that she was anything other than an ordinary young woman."

"She's anything but that" Billy smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. "When we find her, I don't want anyone killing her, even if she's done wrong. I don't know if either of you can change that Eric guy's mind, or Pam's, but as far as I'm concerned, they brought it on themselves."

That was hard to argue with. I knew Bill thought so, too, because he didn't say anything for several minutes. I said, "I'll see what I can do."

"Sookie…"

"He's _right_, Bill" I said firmly. "And if you don't want to talk to Eric about it, then I will."

"Sookie, this is none of our affair."

"How can you say that when she's lived under your roof for three months?!"

"Because she is not my responsibility. Jessica is my fledgling and you are my love. I am fond of Rachel, but deciding whether or not to punish her for this is not up to me."

"Bill Compton, I'm ashamed of you!" I scolded. It drove me crazy when he said things like that. For a long time, Bill thought he didn't have emotions. Since he met me, he's figured out otherwise, but it hasn't seemed to cross his mind that emotions create responsibilities. "You mean to tell me you're not going to say a word, not _one single word_, to help a girl who doesn't have anyone in the vampire world to look out for her?"

"She would have had Pam if she hadn't been so foolish."

"Right. She's supposed to trust someone who dumps her with vampires she hardly knows, almost never comes to see her, and threatens to give her away to her worst enemy? Come _on_, Bill!"

He was silent. Score a point for me.

"Let's just hope" Bill said at last, "That we find her before Pam and Eric do."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Rachel--POV**_

I lay face down in the grass beneath the steel tower. I had to rest. My progress was agonizingly slow. I was traveling—as far as I could tell from my compass and a state map I had picked up at a gas station—in a diagonal line slanting southeast. I was expecting any minute for them to catch up with me. I kept away from roads and civilization as much as I could, but there were signs that I was being followed from the air. I had been afraid of that. I tried to stay under the cover of trees as much as possible. I was hoping, now, that the energy given off by the electrical tower might bother whoever was tracking me enough to confuse them.

The only up side was that I still had plenty of True Blood. With Pam's voice roaring like a blitzkrieg through my mind every few hours or so, I had very little appetite. I drank just enough to keep myself from collapsing and worked on casting a protective circle around myself.

_That_ wore me out, too; I was out of practice. From childhood, both Billy and I were taught to ignore our savvy as much as possible. Poor Mama wanted so much to have two normal kids…even Pastor Bob had trouble getting her to relax enough not to hound us all the time. Billy thought our savvy was a gift from God. I don't know about that—if mine were like his, I might think so, too, but I all I ever do is scare people to death. I learned circle casting from Pastor Bob, even though he didn't call it that. He called it the Swords of Angels. "Whenever you feel scared, Rachel", he would tell me, "close your eyes and imagine God's angels surrounding with you with the Swords of the Heavenly Host. In the middle of them, you are always safe. See the golden blades, the fire leaping from the tips."

It wasn't until I was a teenager that I learned that there were other people like Billy and me, and that they weren't Satan-worshippers or cursed somehow. In fact, now that I'm grown up, I think savvy is kind of like being left-handed or having red hair: something passes through the genes. I also know that I can control it if I take deep breaths and focus. It helps if I stand on the earth without my shoes on.

When I was made into a vampire, I thought maybe my savvy would disappear. A person with savvy is like a battery…things flow _through_ them, through their bodies and brains. If your body is dead, how can the energy move through you? But for whatever reason, my savvy seems to be pretty intact, if rusty. Unlike Billy, I never exercised it much. I can see the_ point_ of his—knowing the future and about people and all—but not of mine.

Billy…I know he's with them. I can feel it. You'd think I'd feel betrayed, but I don't. Billy would always come if I were in trouble.

I don't even know where I'm going now.

If Billy's with them, he will have told them about the cottage. I have to pick a new direction.

I have an image in my head of mountains.

_**Sookie—POV**_

We stopped at a McDonald's with a gas station to re-fuel the vehicles and so the Duprees and I could eat. Pam was gassing up Eric's car when he walked out of the trees behind the restaurant. Obviously, he couldn't just plop down in the middle of everybody.

"Well?" she asked.

"She's changed direction. Almost due east now. I haven't been able to get a visual for some reason" he arched an eyebrow at Bill. "Is there something I don't know about our Rachel?"

"We didn't know it ourselves until a few hours ago" Bill said. "Apparently, the family has witch blood. You've heard Billy Dupree refer to it as 'savvy'".

"Ah."

"If she don't want to be seen, you won't see her" Billy said flatly. "All we can do is follow her line until she gets too tired to hold up. She don't use her savvy much, so she shouldn't be able to keep it up forever."

"That would be a good plan if we had an indefinite amount of time" Eric said, "but unfortunately, she's crossed into were territory, and we don't have time to involve their packmasters. Vampires are pretty much unwelcome in the part of Mississippi she's in. We need to intercept her. Pam?"

"Don't look at me" Pam jerked the nozzle of the gas pump from Eric's tank and put it back into place. "I've been doing everything I can, and all I've got for my trouble is the headache from hell."

Unexpectedly, the Pastor spoke. He was standing with the Duprees a few feet away. "I might be able to help you there. My people used to range from the Carolinas all the way to Texas, and we know the people you call 'weres'. I know a few of the packmasters, and if I call them and invoke our treaty, they'll help."

"Very well" Eric shrugged—when there was a problem to be solved, he never quibbled much about the way to solve it—"See if you can get passage for three vampires and her family."

"I want something in return."

"Yes?"

"Your word of honor as Sheriff of your territory that no harm will come to her."

A momentary look of surprise flashed across Eric's face. The Pastor nodded. "I know who you are. I counsel some of the vampires of your territory. And I know that among you, a word given in the name of authority is unbreakable."

"You surprise us, Reverend." Pam said, her eyebrows had shot up.

"I don't claim to know why you exist" the Pastor said calmly. "But I believe that God never creates anything without a reason. Vampires, weres, the fey…you are all part of His great design, just as we are."

Mrs. Dupree had gone very quiet. She was standing with her hands folded and her eyes closed. She was praying, and even though I saw Pam roll her eyes, I didn't. I believe in prayer. Mr. Dupree merely watched us all.

Eric was silent for a long time. Then he nodded. "You have my word. But you must understand that there has to be consequences. She is under our care—mine and Pam's—and while I understand that we have made a grave mistake, no orphan vampire is _ever_ allowed to just roam around on their own. It's too dangerous."

"I understand. And I'm here to offer you a possible solution. If you will release Rachel into my custody, I will take her onto our tribal lands. We have a responsibility towards her, too. And our law is not necessarily always that of the U.S. government."

"I appreciate that, Reverend, but I have already decided what the consequences will be. When Rachel is found, she and Pam will share a living space for the full five years it takes for Rachel to classify as independent. She will be Pam's child, just as if Pam had turned her."

"Now _wait_ just a minute…!" Pam protested.

"No, _you_ listen!" Eric said, more angrily than I'd ever heard him speak to her, "Because of your lack of patience, we have a situation that could easily cause a war, not to mention the embarrassment that will come to our queen, the other sheriffs, and myself! I hate to look stupid, Pam. _You_ made this mess, and _you_ will clean it up!"

"_How?! _How am _I_ responsible?! Did you not say yourself that the most important thing was to remove Rachel so we could question the Allen girl? She was _defying_ me, Eric! _You_ would never have stood for—"

"_I_ would never have said something so abysmally stupid!"

"Maybe you'd better ask her." I said.

Everyone looked at me.

"It seems to me" I went on, "that the best thing y'all could do to make it up to Rachel is to ask _her_ what she wants to do. And I bet it _won't_ be to live with Pam. Your best option is probably gonna be to either let her come back home and live with her family or let her go with the Pastor. She's got no reason to trust any of the rest of us."

None of the vampires spoke. After all, what could they say?

_**Pam—POV**_

Much as I hated to admit it, Sookie had a point. And it _would _solve my problem…

Or would it?

For the first time in over a hundred years, I felt regret. I didn't think I could anymore.

Eric was right. I had been stupid.

I thought of Rachel. Normally, I don't bother to try to walk in anyone's shoes but my own. It bogs you down, confuses you; it makes you unable to make good decisions. But even I could see that Rachel had decided that wasn't safe with us, and probably wouldn't be safe anywhere, and had taken steps to take care of herself. Would I have done any differently, in her place? Not bloody likely.

"It's all right" I said, sighing. "If we can get her home, I'll abide by the terms."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Rachel—POV**_

The smell of water woke me.

I lifted my head and listened. I could hear its rush, somewhere off in the trees.

How many nights now? I didn't know.

I was lying at the back of a cave. Overhead, I could hear the shrill squeaking of bats. I had found the place purely by luck; I was in sad shape now—almost too weak to move. I sipped True Blood, but most of the time it came right back up again. I had fought the daytime sleep, too terrified to let my guard down for a moment, and I was paying for it. Blood dripped almost constantly from my nose. I re-consumed (don't ask…it was disgusting) what I could, but the loss told. My circles were getting fainter and fainter. Pam continued to call. Sometimes, she sounded like she was pleading. It surprised me until I realized Eric must be pretty pissed at her by now. It took all my will to fight the connection. My whole body ached to go back. I sustained bad burns by collapsing under the trees before I could dig a hole to sleep in. I had gotten so skinny I had to hold my jeans up when I walked.

I reached for the flashlight I had managed to steal from a campsite of human hunters. That had taken more out of me than anything—the smell of their blood and the hunger was so great that I used up the last of my strength forcing myself away from their tents.

"Are you ready to come back?" a voice whispered in the darkness.

_That _got me up. I bolted to my feet, stumbled backwards, and collapsed as my legs gave out.

Somebody caught me. I started to cry.

"Don't be afraid."

I tried to kick, to struggle free. Eric merely held me. It was like being embraced by rock—not crushing, but totally immovable.

"I won't harm you. I gave my word."

"Why?" I whispered.

"Partly because your Pastor Bob made it possible for me to come into this territory without being attacked, and partly because it is through the actions of one of _my_ lieutenants that you felt the need to run. Can you take a little blood?"

"I keep trying, but it keeps coming back up."

"Then I'll have to find you something else."

He hissed softly, then I was facing him and he was pressing my mouth against his neck. Let me tell you one thing right now…when you're _that _hungry for blood, it doesn't matter what your other preferences are. Eric was lucky he was so old…he had to kind of _peel_ me off him and I think if he'd been my age, I would have drained him dry.

"Better?"

"Uh-huh." I had stopped shaking as I drank. My stomach was very warm and I was completely exhausted.

"Try to walk. Is there anything that you can leave? I'm going to have to fly you part of the way and it will work better if I don't have to carry a lot of extra ballast."

"My bag…"

A match flared in darkness. Eric located my flashlight and switched it on, managing to blow out the match before it burned his fingers. He looked terrible.

"What?"

"Did…did _I _do that to you?" I croaked

"No. But you sure did pick a filthy place to lie in. And I've been waiting for you to wake up." He wrinkled his nose. My backpack was now very tattered and covered with bat guano. Eric went through it, removing the bottles of True-Blood. "Here's why you got sick." He shook his head. "This stuff goes bad—didn't Bill tell you? And your book has mildew all over it."

"I still want to keep it."

"You'd do better to keep your compass and your knives." He shrugged and slung the pack over his shoulders. "Come on."

He put an arm around my shoulders and walked me to the front entrance. Outside, the night was flooded silver from the moon. Forest creatures rustled and twittered, but other than that, it was perfectly silent.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"At the motel. They'll be relieved to know I found you. Your mother was pretty sure you were dead and to tell the truth, so did Pam."

"Bet _she_ won't be relieved", I muttered bitterly.

"Pam wants you alive as much as the rest of us do. You know, Rachel, you should have told her or Bill about your family. A witch who retains her powers after becoming a vampire is most rare—and _very_ valuable."

"Why?"

"A lot of reasons. Let's just say the community finds such abilities useful."

I snorted. That _goddamn_ savvy. It never does anything but get me in trouble.

Eric wrapped his arms around my waist and we were in the air. I kept my eyes shut the whole time; if I was about to plummet to my death, I didn't want to see it.

_**Pam—POV**_

We finally caught up with Rachel in Tennessee . She had looped northward out of Mississippi , her path becoming more and more erratic. Eric reported that she was still keeping to the woods, and the tree cover was impeding him, but he could sense her distress. "She won't last much longer at this rate. I'm going in on foot. The Pastor will contact the area packmasters. Pam, you and Bill will watch over the situation. Try to re-assure her family, if you can."

He was gone for days. I kept calling to Rachel, but I only heard silence. I was afraid she was dead. _Goddamn stubborn, stupid kid!_

Her mother had stopped screeching and praying and now simply sat between her husband and Billy, her face so pale she could have been one of us, her eyes burning with hate and fixed firmly on me. Sookie did her best to comfort her, talking to her, bringing her cups of coffee, even praying with her, but she didn't respond. Billy and Mr. Dupree said very little. All Billy would say was, "She ain't dead. I'd _know_."

The Pastor spent most of his time on his cell phone. He was still pushing to take Rachel with him. I actually thought that it might be for the best if he did, but I knew Eric would see to it that _his_ plan was the one used. He and I had lived together practically since my making, and his solution was meant to remind me of who was _really _in charge.

Eric returned after four more nights. We had stopped at a tiny Days Inn off of I-40. He came in through the door carrying what looked like a bundle of bleached bone. _Dear God, hasn't she been eating anything?!!_

"Rachel" Mrs. Dupree whispered. It was the first time I'd heard her speak below a yell. "Oh my God…my poor baby!"

"Mama?" Rachel mumbled.

"Here, give her to me"

Eric handed her over gladly. He and Rachel were both covered in filth and neither of them smelled very nice. Mrs. Dupree held Rachel on her lap and rocked her back and forth. "My baby…my girl…I am so glad you're home! And when you're well, I'm gonna whale the tar outta ya for scaring me half to death!"

"Where was she?" I asked.

"In a cave full of bat dung. She won't be able to be moved for a while. Apparently, she didn't know True-Blood went bad."

Eric looked very, very pleased about something. It's _never_ a good sign when he looks that smug.

"I'm assuming you fed her?" Bill's voice was at its most cynical and Eric's smile widened. "I did indeed. Personally, in fact."

"_Oh you son of a bitch!!!"_ I groaned.

Eric only laughed. Bill shook his head, and everyone else looked vaguely confused.

"If she drank his blood" I explained impatiently, "it means _my_ mark is vastly diminished. He is my maker and his blood is stronger than mine."

"And that means what?" Mr. Dupree leaned on his shotgun. He hadn't let go of the damn thing once since we left Louisiana.

"She answers to him now."

"M'not a fuckin' disease!" Rachel muttered weakly. "Quit passin' me around."

"Language, baby. Talk like a lady—like your Mama taught you." Mrs. Dupree hugged Rachel hard against her chest, making Rachel gasp, "Mama! Can't _breathe_!"

"It means he'll have access to her powers" I went on. "I ought to have guessed when he said he wanted to go on alone."

Billy glared furiously at Eric, then at me. "Y'all make me sick!" he growled. "My sister is a person—a human being just like you used to be. Don't any of you give a shit about that?! First you scare her into running off, and then when you find her and she's damn near dead, _he _takes advantage of her?! Man, if Dad wants to haul off and shoot either of you, I'm not gonna do one damn thing to stop him."

"You have nothing to worry about" Eric said calmly. "She will be looked after. And I _might_ take exception to your attitude…" he gave his bone-chilling smile "…if I did not value loyalty so much."

The warning was clear. I stood up. "Eric wants us to live together for five years. I am prepared to abide by those terms. Rachel, I apologize to you for this whole situation."

"Okaaay" she mumbled sleepily; she was drifting off.

"And as a gesture of good faith" I went on pointedly "your family and Pastor are welcome to see you whenever you want._ If_ that is acceptable to our Sheriff."

Eric shrugged, looking bored, but I could tell he was displeased.

"Excuse me, but I think the thing to do now is get her into a hot bath" Sookie was squatting in front of Rachel and rubbing her wrists. "She feels cold even for a vampire. And she's gonna need new clothes. Mrs. Dupree, if you could give me her sizes I can take the car and find something…"

"She's a fourteen, honey. Ask the girl at the desk and maybe she can tell you where there's a Wal-Mart."

"_No"_ I held up my hand. "I can't do _much_ about this situation, but I _can_ ensure that Rachel isn't faced with the horror of polyester on top of everything else._ I'll_ drive and we'll find a mall."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Rachel--POV**_

Sookie told me later that I was gone a total of three weeks. For the first couple of days after Eric brought me back, I was still to weak to do much. He departed for Shreveport after I was found, leaving me under Bill and Sookie's supervision. It was his way of letting Pam know he was still angry with her. When I was alert enough to have an actual conversation, she told me that we were both being punished by having to live together for five years until I could register as independently dead. She also told me that I was to report to Fangtasia for my monthly work assignment as soon as we returned to Shreveport.

I phoned the library and they were happy to rescind my resignation. The graveyard shift is a relatively new thing--it was only put into place when the vampires decided to "come out of the coffin"--and there weren't too many of the staff who were willing to work from 9 PM to 5 AM. Our director, Sharon, was delighted that she would have what she called "a liason to this exciting new community". I didn't bother to remind her that vampires have been using public libraries for centuries; they just don't pick their stuff up until after dark.

Bill was oddly silent about my little escapade. Even though I'd been living in his house and he was supposed to have been keeping an eye on me, Eric didn't seem to be angry at him. Sookie was pissed, though. She told me that Bill had no intention of interfering with whatever Eric decided on for me, and she considered that unfair. "You were living with him; he was supposed to be training you, so he's at least _part_ responsible!" she said indignantly. "And he didn't even say anything! That's just plain wrong, in my book."

My own family reacted the way they usually did. Mama hollered and carried on about me having to go and live with Pam. Dad told Pam that he would "deal with her personally" if anything ever happened to me, and Billy made the most astounding offer of all. "Why don'tcha make me a vampire, L'il Bit?" He asked seriously. "If the problem is you've got no vampires you're connected to by blood..."

"Because it doesn't work that way, Billy" I sighed. "The blood lineage is from maker to maker. If I turned you, then you'd be a rogue by association and they don't like that. And if Eric or any other vampire turned you, you'd be connected to them, not me."

Pastor Bob just hugged me and gave me his personal cell phone number. "Call me when you get a chance, Rachel. You've run away long enough."

"WHAT'RE YOU TALKIN' ABOUT?! RACHEL'S _NEVER_ RUN OFF UNTIL NOW! SHE WOULDN'A DONE IT THIS TIME IF _SOMEBODY_ HADN'T SCARED HER SILLY!"

Pam was very quiet. Since my clothes were pretty much ruined, she and Sookie had taken it upon themselves to buy me new ones. I expected sneakers, jeans and cotton T-shirts. Instead, I got two pairs of incredbly soft slacks, some gorgeous black ankle boots, and the T-shirts were made of silk. "Oh my God!"

Sookie giggled. "Your Mama suggested Wal-Mart, but Pam wouldn't have it, so we went to a mall and they had a Dillard's."

"Thank you, Pam." I said softly. I wasn't sure what else to say. She had told me about our mutual 'punishment' in a calm, flat voice, and I couldn't really read her face.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like them." She didn't look up from painting her nails. Sookie rolled her eyes and whispered, "She's embarrassed!"

"Sookie Stackhouse, _kindly_ remember I'm still in the room" Pam held her fingers up and studied the polish. "And for your information, I have nothing to be embarrassed _about_. All I did is what Eric himself would have done."

"Impossible. All of you vampires are just impossible", Sookie grumbled.

When I was well enough to walk around the motel room without getting dizzy, we left. Mama and Daddy insisted on staying until the end, but Billy had left a few days earlier because he had to get back to work. Pam told me to ride in her car; it was not a suggestion.

"Eric texted. He's found us a place. My things area already there. And yours from Bill's. If there's anything from your parents' house you want to get, we can stop there first."

"No, I have everything" I was royally uncomfortable. Pam spoke in a polite, distant way as if we'd only just been introduced, not like her usual self at all. I figured she was furious with me and wondered if we'd have to spend the next five years ignoring each other.

"That's good. I've had about as much of your mother as I can stand."

Well, _that _was closer to the Pam I was used to, at least. "Are your ears ringing yet?" I asked.

Pam snorted. "Yes, as a matter of fact."

"You'll get used to it."

"I don't _want_ to get used to it, and thank whatever God that exists, I won't have to. I won't be home much. Work at the bar takes up most of my time."

I shrugged. "I imagine the library'll do the same for me. There aren't many librarians who want to work the graveyard shift."

"That reminds me. Do you have weekends off?"

"I usually have Fridays and either Saturday or Sunday, but with these new hours, I'm not sure."

"Find out. We need to work your hours out at the bar, too."

I hiked my heels up onto the seat in front of me and wrapped my arms around my knees. "What do I have to do?"

"Whatever Eric and I tell you to do, for starters. _And no running off. Ever_."

I had to bite my tongue. What the hell did she think?! That I'd gone off for _fun?!!!_

"Your first job will be to put the New Nora Roberts on reserve for me. I'll give you my library card number later."

My jaw fell open.

_**Pam--POV**_

_The look that's worth a thousand words. _

Rachel stared at me as though I'd suddenly started speaking in Sanskrit. I grinned to myself. It's always good to keep young vampires off-balance.

"Close your mouth before you start drawing flies."

"You want a _book?!_" She said in disbelief.

"That's right. Most vampires _can_ read, you know. Some of us even like it."

"I'm sorry" she closed her eyes. "I guess I expected something different...like someone's head on a platter or something."

"No, Rachel" I explained patiently. "The only head on a platter I'd want would be yours. And unfortunately, Eric seems to have decided that you'll be useful."

She winced a little, but her voice was steady. "Y'all didn't leave me with much of a choice."

"You _could _have done as you were told."

"And wait around to see which of you would get to have the fun of killing me?" she shook her head. "Thanks, but no thanks. Someday, I may decide that I want to die. When that day comes, I'll just go outside and watch the sun come up, but right now I plan to live."

The way she said it made me look at her. She was looking straight ahead at the road, curled into that almost-impossible position on the seat, her lips firmly set. In that moment, she looked exactly like her father, and it gave me the oddest feeling. Ifelt a shiver move down my spine and I knew, absolutely _knew_, that once her mind was made up, that was it. Nothing in heaven or hell would budge her.

_No wonder Eric didn't kill you, darling, _I thought. _You're exactly what he looks for in a soldier: resourceful, courageous, and with his _own _disregard for the rules. And the witch power on top of that. You poor child. I'm afraid you're not going to have a very peaceful existence with us._

On the horizon, lightning flashed._  
_


	13. Chapter 13

_**AN: Thanks so much to the lovely muse who suggested that I do a chapter on Rachel's working life! This bit will probably end up being OOC, because I haven't got far enough in the books to see what the vampire employees at Fangtasia actually do, but I imagine that it just might be how young Sayuri in Arthur Golden's unforgettable **_**Memoirs of a Geisha **_**describes it:**_

_**"We may pour sake for a man, but we never go and fetch another serving of pickles."**_

_**Rachel—POV**_

"Reference desk, may I help you?"

"Yeah" (giggle). "I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"What's it like to drink blood?" (Giggle, giggle, snort)

I sighed. Goddamn kids. Ever since it got around that there was an actual vampire on the library staff, there was hardly a night that went by without a question like that one.

"The answer to that question should be on Google" I said crisply. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Will you come over and drink my blood tonight?"

"I'm hanging up now." I dropped the phone back in its cradle and wondered if I could count the call as a reference question.

As soon as I put it down, the phone rang again. "Reference desk."

"Yes, 'allo. My name is Claudette LaRocque. I was checking to see if you have _Fatal Purity: Robespierre and the French Revolution_."

"Yes, we do. Would you like me to hold it for you?"

"Please."

She gave me her library card number. When I had placed the hold, I said, "We have a few other very interesting titles on the French Revolution. Would you like to hear about them?"

"_Non_, thank you. Just this one. I knew him, _comprenez?_ I wanted to see if the book captures his real _essence_." The woman gave a velvety laugh. I laughed a little too, out of politeness, but I didn't want to ask what she meant. It's probably going to be a long time before I'm used to vampire humor.

"Okay. It will be at the desk. We can hold it for three nights."

"_Merci beaucoup_. I shall come soon. I am so glad to hear there is one of _us_ at the library now." She hung up with another laugh.

The young vampires (made in the 60's or afterwards) who used our library were pretty much like any other library patrons I had ever met, but the elder vampire patrons were in a class by themselves. They were the only library patrons I had ever worked with that showed no interest in the computers. They actually came to the library to _read_. Or to do historical research. (I hadn't been back at work a week before I realized someone was going to have to train me to be a genealogist.) They tended to be urbane, formal, exquisitely polite, and very demanding. Some of them got indignant when I explained that if they wanted to look at newspapers from before 1930, they would have to learn how to use a microfilm reader.

To tell the truth, however, I reveled in their presence. They liked the library to be absolutely silent, and any young vampire or human who was noisy or rude got the full force of their disapproval. One drunk teenager who kept harassing me to bite him was actually frog-marched out the door by an elderly British vampire who called him a "insolent young puppy" to his face. I loved it!

And they came from all over the country! Shreveport was one of the very first public libraries to institute "vampire hours." Most other library systems argued that they were already open during part of the nighttime hours, and they didn't see why they had to spend money on putting in a whole third shift. They changed their tune when our library got over 100,000 dollars in donations. Lots of the elder vampires have money, and a good many come from times when libraries were supported by private patronage.

My work at Fangtasia was different. I thought I'd be waiting tables or working behind the bar or cleaning or something, so I put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and put my hair up in a ponytail. Pam took one look and said, _"No."_

"What?" I said.

"Darlin', _that_ won't do. You need to wear something more appropriate."

I must have looked especially brain-dead, because Pam sighed and went to my closet. She pulled out the black slacks she'd bought me and after rifling through the hangers for a moment, a black vest. "Here. Put these on. And a good pair of shoes."

"What shirt?"

"None."

"You want me to work _topless?!_" I squeaked.

"Not top_less_" she said, with exaggerated patience. "You'll wear the vest by itself."

"Pam, I don't have any—"

"In the vest, it won't matter. Now get changed. I don't have time to wait around all night."

I put my clothes on with trepidation, and was surprised to see that Pam was right. Buttoned up, the vest made a deep V that was sexy despite my lack of cleavage. The pants rode low on my hips, which made me uncomfortable because I don't like showing my stomach. I was chubby when I was a kid and people made fun of my belly so much (they liked to poke me, a la the Pillsbury Doughboy) that I used to wear shirts that were two sizes too big. I finally got rid of the chub via diet and frantic sculpting exercises when I was in high school.

Pam took my hair down and arranged it loosely around my shoulders, misting it lightly with hair spray. "You need curl definer, honey."

"Well" I said stupidly. "I usually iron it out before something important. If I had known—"

"No, no, no. Never iron. You've got lovely waves, and the color is to die for." She leaned close, "If you've got something worth flaunting, then _flaunt it_."

I blushed; I couldn't help it. And Pam obviously enjoyed what kind of effect she was having, because her smile grew very smug indeed. She was wearing a black strapless gown and her superstructure was impressive, to say the least.

"Now you need a choker and a really stunning bracelet…" she clicked her tongue as she went through my jewelry box. "I'll see if I have something to lend you. Start putting your makeup on and I'll go look."

"But I don't wear makeup!" I protested. "Except for lip gloss sometimes."

Pam stared at me as though I had suddenly sprouted carrots out of my ears.

Shaking her head, she pulled her cell phone out of her tiny purse. "Eric? Pam. We're going to be a little late. I have to do an emergency makeover…yes I _know _she looks all right but 'all right' isn't what the customers _pay_ to see…_yes_, I can do it in under an hour!" She snapped the phone closed and pointed to my desk chair. "Sit. I'll be back in a minute."

She took thirty minutes to paint my face, and I do mean paint. My skin was already vampire-white, but she added a foundation that made the white shimmer when light hit it. My lips she painted blood red, and she outlined my eyes with black khol and used dark shadow on my lids.

"There. That's better. Oh, and one last thing..." Pam whipped out a small bottle of Opium. "Put some of this behind your ears and in the other pertinent areas."

I dabbed some behind my ears.

"I said the _other_ pertinent places, Rachel."

I put some on my neck and wrists.

Pam smothered something that sounded like a curse and took the bottle from me. "Hold your arms at your sides", she ordered. I did, and she misted them lightly with the pefume. Then she puffed just a little onto my chest and stomach. "There. Now come on."

In the car, she explained more about what the work would entail. "Your job, along with that of our other vampires, is to be seen. That's why you never show up for work looking anything less than _delicious_, understand?"

I nodded.

"The customers will want to touch you. How much you let them--or where--is up to you, but there is no sex on the premises."

I swallowed hard, feeling my insides grow cold. "Are you saying I'm supposed to be a hooker or something?"

Pam glared at me. "Don't be so modernly, miserably obtuse! Of _course_ I don't mean that. Your job is to be exactly what you are: a gorgeous, sexy vampire. That's what the customers pay to see and that's what they get."

"You think I'm gorgeous?" I asked, grinning. It was a huge concession, considering how _she_ looked.

Pam huffed in exasperation, "I hardly would be living up to my _considerable _talent with makeup if you weren't. Now shut up and don't interrupt me. As I said, the customers--male and female both--will want to touch you. Mostly your skin and fangs. Some of them may offer themselves to you. Whether or not you take them up on it is your business, but I'll tell you right now that if you oblige them, it's customary for them to give you a tip. And you get to _keep_ those tips."

"They'll _pay_ me to bite them?" I had heard of fangbangers, of course, but I always thought it was more of a mutual thing; it never occured to me that they would pay _money _for the privilege of a vampire bite.

"Of course. The only thing you have to do in return is not take more than a little blood from each person and to refuse any of the staff who ask you during their work shifts."

"How do you do it without killing them?"

"It's a matter of self-control. Dana will show you...she's our veteran vamp. Just think of it as a buffet--you don't take more than a bite of any one thing, because there are so _many_ things to enjoy." Pam smiled rather secretively, making me wonder if she was fond of any particular fangbanger, or just "enjoyed" all the variety.

When we got to the bar, Pam first took me to Eric's office so I could punch in on the time clock. (I had to fight not to giggle at the idea of something as mundane as a time clock in a place that was run by vampires.) Eric looked me up and down and nodded, looking pleased. "Very nice work, Pam."

"Why, thank you. I think she turned out rather well myself."

The main floor at Fangtasia had booths, tables, and a couple of raised platforms where the dancers worked. Eric asked me if I could dance, but I told him I had never learned how to dance with a pole. Eric sat on what looked like a large wooden throne and supervised things. Pam largely worked the door, but she could also function as a bouncer, if necessary.

Dana was a tall, very thin vampire with long black hair and bright green eyes. She was dressed in a leather dress that laced up the front and thigh-high boots. "Hi, Rachel! I'll show you around first...we have an hour or so before the doors open."

She showed me the back area where the staff had a small lounge. "If you're into True Blood, you can keep it in the fridge and microwave it when you need it. These are the private suites--" she gestured to a pair of doors hung with black beads. "If you decide to entertain anyone privately--feed on them or otherwise, anything short of actual sex is okay and both of you have to keep your clothes on--you go in here. This is where the guys and gals who tip high like to go, so make use of them when you can."

"Okay" I gulped.

"Eric mentioned you're into girls. That's good, but you really can't afford to be too particular if you want to make any money. What you want to do is build up some regulars--people who will come to the bar just to see you. That's your bread and butter."

"Bread and butter" I mumbled.

Dana grinned. "Hey! Don't look so scared! You're living with Pam, aren't you? Well, let me tell you, _nothing_ in this bar is scarier than she is. I've known her for for ten years now and she scares the bejeezus out of me--even more than Eric does. She's _cosmically_ scary."

"When were you turned?" I asked curiously.

"1968. San Francisco. I was one of the Haight-Ashbury hippies. It was awesome! Hands down the most beautiful night of my life."

"You're lucky. I mostly felt like I was gonna throw up."

"Oh yeah...when I first came out of the ground I felt like that; everyone does. No, I meant when my maker claimed me. I was twenty-eight and I'd had twelve lovers, but I'd never had a night like that one. Sex and blood go together. They're companions."

I felt a little envious when she said that. "Do you live with your maker?"

"No" Dana's face changed and became somber. "He went into the sun in 82'. He was around 500 years old by then and he just got tired. We'd drifted apart by then--it happens, after a while--but we still kept in touch by phone. I learned what happened when his newest fledgling called me in tears about it."

"That is sad."

"Yeah" she sighed. "Oh well. That was then and this is now, you know? Did you punch in already? Good. I'm just gonna have you sit with me tonight. We've got more vamps than we need this evening. You can watch me and kind of get an idea what to do. Just relax and have fun, okay?"

"What if someone gets fresh?" I asked. "Say, for example, they want to touch me but I don't want them to."

"If they disrespect you, you can dismiss them from the table. If they get hostile about it, get Pam or Marcus to bounce em'. You shouldn't have that problem though. Not as long as you remember that _you're_ in charge; they're coming to see you, not the other way around."

Dana smiled reflectively. "Sometimes, it's like being a big cat, you know? I've spent whole nights in this place just being stroked--my hair, my skin, even just my clothes. I love it."

"Um, well, I hope _I _do" I said.

Dana leaned over and kissed me softly on the mouth, flicking her tongue lightly over my lower lip. It took me completely by surprise and she laughed. "There! That should get you off to a good start. Let's get a good table...happy hunting!"

"Happy hunting to _you_, too" I said with an idiotic grin. Heat was uncurling in my middle. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Sookie—POV**_

I pestered Bill into taking me to Fangtasia for Rachel's first night of work. He didn't want to go, of course. I think he was still waiting for Eric to punish him for Rachel's disappearance. But Jessica and I wore him down. She wanted to go simply because the bar was her favorite place to be, and she could whine and nag better than anyone I ever met. Bill finally gave in just to shut her up. (The fact that I hadn't been exactly "receptive" to him helped too.)

Grumpily, Bill ushered us in the door and headed for the bar for a round of True Blood.

It took me a minute to find Rachel in the throng of people that filled the club, and when I did, I almost didn't recognize her. She was sitting at a table with a black-haired female vampire and a crowd of college age kids, and she looked nothing at all like her usual self.

Except for her fangs and vampiric paleness, Rachel was very human looking. Her eyes and facial features were very expressive and she hardly ever wore any kind of makeup. That night, she had been transformed into a smokey-eyed, crimon-lipped vision. _Did _Pam_ do that?_ I wondered.

Jessica, standing next to me, gave a low whistle. "What happened to her? She looks hot!"

"Somone gave her a makeover."

"Wow! It must have been Pam. Do you think she'd give _me_ one if I asked?"

"She'd give you _something_" I said dryly.

Jessica scowled. "Yeah. It's really too bad she's such a bitch. Oooh! There's _Sebastian_! Later!" Jessica shot across the room and in a minute, was draped over a blond male vamp in black leather.

I made my way over to Rachel's table. When she caught sight of me, her face broke into a delighted grin. "Sookie!" she cried, bouncing up to give me a hug. "My God, it's good to see you!"

"URK!" I gasped. "Be careful!" Glad I as I was to see her, I really didn't want cracked ribs or spinal damage. She let go immediately, and I hugged her back. She smelled like Pam's perfume, which made me wonder, just for a moment, if the makeover wasn't a sign that their relationship _had _been taken to a whole new level.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"More or less" Rachel's smile grew rueful. "Come and sit down. Is Bill with you?"

"He's at the bar getting drinks. Jessica's here, too."

Rachel introduced the black-haired vampire. "Sookie, this is Dana."

"Nice to meet you!" Dana purred. Her eyes glowed like green jade as she looked me over. It made me nervous; I still wasn't used to being so blatantly admired by beings that saw me as a potential meal.

"_Very _nice" said one of the college guys with a wink that drew guffaws from his buddies.

Rachel raised and eyebrow at them. "She has a boyfriend."

"Is he here?" asked one of the guys.

"Is he big?" asked another, making everyone laugh again.

"You keep that up and I'm gonna get _jealous_." Dana leaned towards the guys and winked, showing off marble-white and very deep cleavage. "And you _know_ what happens when I get jealous…"

The ringleader leaned forward and kissed Dana on the lips and whispered something to her. She settled back into the booth and smiled. "Come on and join us, Sookie. Any friend of Rachel's is _always_ welcome."

I sat down cautiously next to Rachel who shifted closer to Dana to make room. Dana had one arm around the college guy and she slid the other around Rachel's shoulders. Rachel gave me a wry look. I knew what it meant; technically, they were both still on the clock.

Bill arrived bearing bottles of True Blood and a rum and coke for me. "Good evening, Rachel" he said formally. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Sookie, where's Jessica?"

"Over there" I pointed to the table where Jessica was busily sticking her tongue down the blond Sebastian's ear. Sebastian didn't seem to notice.

Bill swore under his breath as he put the drinks down. He started to turn away but I put my hand on his arm. "C'mon and sit. That table is right next to Eric's throne...how much trouble can she get into?"

Bill threw me an irritated look, but sat. Rachel leaned forward. "Bill, I'm so sorry. I've wanted to tell you that for a while. I hope you can forgive me at some point. Did Eric punish you too?"

Her brow was puckered with worry and she looked so genuinely contrite that I was praying Bill wouldn't take refuge behind the distant mask he so often wore. No such luck, though. He gently took Rachel's hand from his arm and set it on the table. "There is no need to apologize, Rachel. Eric would certainly be within his rights to punish me, if he chose. He left you in my trust, and I did not take good care of you."

Rachel was so young a vampire that she missed the double meaning of his words: he was sorry that he had let her escape, not that he hadn't made any effort to protect her. _I_ understood it, though, and it got me so mad that I slipped down in my seat and kicked Bill hard in the shins.

"_Sookie!_" he hissed.

I glowered at him. "Don't 'Sookie' me, Bill Compton! When someone tries to apologize for something that wasn't even her fault, you don't act like that!"

"Not her fault?! She _chose _to run off! I told her more than once that a young vampire has very little say in what happens to her, and an _orphan_ has none! I _told _her this."

"It wouldn't have happened at all if Pam hadn't made such a stupid mistake--"

"Did I hear my name?" Pam's familiar voice drawled. I should, by then, have been used to how fast vampires can move, but I nearly jumped out of my skin to see her standing right next to me. Rachel sat back in the booth, her dark eyes wide and wary.

"Just a little disagreement" I said sourly.

"Uh-huh. Sookie honey, would you do me a favor? Just drop it. I want happy people here tonight. Unhappy people may drink more, but they don't bring their friends back to party and they don't tip well, either." She glided away.

I think we all breathed out at once, even Dana and the college guys. More than one of them had looked at Pam with lust, but there was enough fear underneath that they had fallen silent in her presence.

Jessica bounced over after Pam left. "Sebastian's being an asshole, so I thought I'd come over here. Hey Rachel! You're lookin' good. Shove over, Daddy." She wriggled into Bill's side of the booth.

"Hey cutie!" one of the boys said with a grin. "Why dont'cha come and sit at this end? I gotta lollipop for you."

"Jim, get the hell outta here before you get us thrown out" the boy (or young man, I should say--he looked a little older than the others) who sat closest to Dana said harshly. "Go get a beer or something."

Dana smiled encouragingly at Jim. "Would you bring me some B positive? Being around all you _yummy _specimens of manhood is making me thirsty."

I almost groaned; how corny could you get? But as it always does with a certain type of immature male,

. the flattery worked. "You bet, darlin'. Do you like it hot?"

"Naturally", purred Dana.

The guy grinned a goofy grin and weaved his way off to the bar. Dana winked at me and laughed. Rachel shook her head. "I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to this" she whispered to me. "These guys are idiots. All they want to do is stare at us all night. That guy Dana's with is one of her regulars, but the rest are just buddies of his along for the ride."

"A bar isn't the best place to meet sophisticated people" I agreed. "At least _you_ can't hear what they're thinking!"

Rachel snorted. "Thank God for small favors." Then she smiled. "It's so good to see you."

"What's it like living with Pam?" I whispered sympathetically, not wanting Pam to pop up out of the floor next to our table again.

"It's like living alone" she whispered back. "She's almost never home when I am, and that's fine by me. Anything to keep the peace."

"Is she still angry?"

Rachel shrugged slowly. "I don't know. It's hard to tell, with her. Sometimes I'm just a mildly annoying presence to her, and sometimes I'm a real person. I get the feeling she doesn't really care much one way or the other."

"Hey!" Jessica interrupted, leaning in so she could talk to us. "What's up with Pam? She keeps, like, _staring_ over here."

"She's making sure I'm really working" Rachel whispered back.

"Yeah? So what, exactly, are you supposed to be doing? You're not getting drinks...are you supposed to dance later?"

"No. I'm supposed to sit here and look vampire-ish and say vampire-ish things."

"Like what kind of vampire-ish things?"

Rachel snorted and intoned, _"I vaahnt to suuck your bloood!"_

I cracked up. So did Dana, who had overheard. Jessica rolled her eyes, but she grinned too. "Lame-o!"

"Anytime, _ma belle_" a dark fellow dressed entirely in black murmured as he passed our table. He paused long enough to raise Rachel's hand to his lips. "So delightful to see new beauty...Dana, _cher_, _who_ is this exquisite creature?"

Dana laughed again, mostly at Rachel's bug-eyed expression. "This is Rachel, Armand. Rachel, Armand St. Pierre."

"Hey there!" Jessica cooed, fluttering her eyelashes. "_I'm_ Jessica."

"And you're not on the clock tonight" Dana said pleasantly, but with a note of warning in her voice.

Armand smiled and bowed over Jessica's hand as well. "_Enchanté"_.

Jessica smiled and sat back, practically lifting her chest right out of its corset. Bill wrapped an arm around her and gave Armand a pointed look, which he understood immediately. He turned back to Rachel. "Come...allow me to get you something."

"Eew, Daddy! Quit being so _kinky_!" Jessica wriggled free. "Behave yourself _this instant_, Jessica, or we're leaving" Bill hissed, looking mortified.

Rachel looked at us apologetically as Armand led her away. I must have looked worried, because Dana leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Don't worry. He won't hurt her. He's one of our best customers and he loves to sample the new blood."

"Is _he_ a vampire?!" I asked.

"No. Just a very sesual French guy with a taste for fang. Believe me, he's the best customer a first-timer could ever have."

"She doesn't have to sleep with him or anything, does she?"

"Nah. Just bite him. And he's been fangbanging for years, so he knows exactly how it _should_ be done. She'll be fine."

Rachel returned about twenty minutes later. She seemed dazed and was having a hard time looking anyone in the eye. Dana kindly refrained from asking her how it went and simply made room for her in the booth once more. Jessica, of course, behaved with all the sensitivity of a jackhammer. "So? How was it? Is he as scrumptious as he looks?"

Rachel took a deep breath, and suddenly, her eyes grew red around the edges. "I promised myself when I was turned I'd never feed on real people", she mumbled.

Still talking to her young man, Dana drew Rachel against her so Rachel's head was resting on her shoulder. Gently, she kissed the top of Rachel's head. What put me off about it was the fact that she kept those jade eyes trained on the young man's face. It was all show. It made me mad. I took Rachel's other hand in mine and squeezed it.

_**Pam--POV **_

I could have done without Sookie hanging around the bar. I wasn't surprised at all to see her; she still blamed me for the whole ungodly mountain adventure, and I was sure she'd be coming around at some point to make sure Rachel wasn't chained up in our basement or being flogged at a whipping post or something, but I could have done without her accusing looks. _Look at Eric that way, why don't you?_ I thought irritably. _We're all just following HIS orders, after all._

I saw Rachel go into one of the private rooms with Armand St. Pierre. I had sent him a discreet text. A vamp's first night at Fangtasia can be difficult, especially if they're female and raised to be 'nice girls'. The last thing I needed was for Rachel to break down and have hysterics and quite frankly, the testosterone-laden college kids don't deserve any protege of mine. Armand, on the other hand, knows and appreciates quality.

When they came out, he looked very satisfied and there were fresh punctures on his neck. Rachel held her head up, but her face was shuttered in on itself. I knew that look--it meant one of your major illusions was gone. She had said she wouldn't kill anyone as a vampire and she hadn't--but had she _really_ been so naive that she thought she would get through the centuries without ever tasting real human blood?

She went back to Dana's booth and sat down. Dana, sizing up the situation at once, put an arm around her and kissed her hair as she continued to talk to her regular. Slick move. It added the extra titillation that kept them coming back. Sex play should be like a fan dance: you should only see just enough to get you hooked.

Sookie, however, looked even more indignant. That meant she'd been chewing Bill's ears off all night and he'd come whining to Eric, which always put Eric in a foul mood. It's none of my business, but at times like these I think that the sooner Eric takes Sookie for himself, the better. Unlike Bill, he'd teach her _exactly_ where the line is between mortals and vampire-kind, and that you don't cross it if you know what's good for you.

I saw her holding Rachel's hand. I almost intervened right there, but when I saw the hungry looks on the faces of the young men at the table, I refrained. I wish Sookie wasn't so goddamn cute and toothsome.

Rachel recovered herself in a few minutes and began talking animatedly, making the table laugh. Well, that was something. Comedy could cover a multitude of flaws. The lights went down for the dancers, and all attention focused on the pole platforms in the middle of the room.

"How's she doing?" Eric's voice murmured in my ear.

"Well enough, considering its her first time. I texted Armand and that helped."

"That was kind of you" he sounded surprised.

I shrugged. "Since I don't seem to have the knack of out-and-out controlling her, I thought a little _persuasion _might be better."

"Wise."

I didn't answer.

"You know, I don't remember you ever going out of your way for any of the _other_ new vampires who work here."

"I'm not going to get blamed if any of _them_ disappear."

"Ah Pam...I admit I was angry with you, but don't hold it against me, will you? She's too valuable to lose."

All of a sudden, I felt very tired and more than a little sad. We vampires are all about power. Power over each other and over the mortals in our territories. Rachel was still more human than vampire, and I wasn't looking forward to seeing her determination and courage fade into jaded cynicism. I had enough of my own to deal with.

"Have you said hello to Sookie?" I asked pointedly.

He smiled his feral smile. "I will soon. I've sent Sebastian over to amuse our little Jessica. That will be enough for Bill's middle-class taste--he'll have to take her home. I, of course, will offer Sookie a seat at Rachel's table for the rest of the night and she, being tender-hearted, will agree. _Then _I'll 'say hello', as you put it."

"And then she'll see right through you. Honestly, Eric, I don't know why you don't just claim her openly. Subtlety really isn't your strong suit."

"Because I still need Bill. Things may change if Compton becomes expendable."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Rachel--POV**_

I was allowed to go home at around 3 A.M. The next night, Pam said, I would be on for the full eight hours. She tossed me her car keys and told me to go home; I didn't bother to mention that I had no idea how to drive a stick. I made it back to the house after stalling out about twenty times. I didn't care.

I took a long, hot bath and sat down in the living room. I didn't turn on any lights. I just curled up on the couch and brooded.

_I drank someone's blood tonight_, I thought miserably. _And I _loved_ it. Dear God. Dear Jesus, help me.  
_  
I knew it was ridiculous for me to get all weepy over something that's been the main part of vampire life for centuries. My _head_ knew that. But my _heart_ was still a human heart.

The man I fed on was a dark, gypsy-handsome Frenchman. He'd been "a lover of the Night Ones", as he put it, for ten years. He asked me to go to one of the private rooms and I went because I was thinking that Pam would probably be royally pissed if I didn't and I didn't need her to be angrier than she already was. (However _much_ that was. As I told Sookie, with Pam it's hard to tell.)

As soon as we got into the room (which was suitably gothic: large black-velvet chaise lounge, lots of candles, blood-red roses in vases), he lay back on the lounge and tilted his head back. I could see the faint dark tracing of his jugular vein and the sight seemed to put my whole body on high alert. I felt my fangs extend all by themselves, and for a minute I clutched the door frame and just stood there like an idiot.

"Come, _cher_" he said kindly. "Sit by me a moment."

I put one foot in front of the other, fighting panic every step of the way. Dear God, what the hell was wrong with me?! I'd drunk two bottles of True Blood just an hour ago!

"This is your first time, _non?_"

"Um...yeah" I said as I awkwardly perched on the edge of the chaise.

He smiled and stroked his fingers through my hair. "There is no need for fear. I ave' done this many, many times. Your friend sent for me. She thought you might need _un peu de soin_--a little gentleness."

"My friend?" Did he mean _Pam?_ I could hardly believe it.

"_Oui._ Your friend Madame Pamela."

I shook my head. I still couldn't believe it. Why in the world would she care how I felt? Unless she was worried that I'd freak out or something and not make any money. Maybe that was it.

"Come" he said again, pulling me back so I was lying against his chest. _That_ felt weird, too; I hadn't been with a guy in any sort of romantic context since my senior year in high school. It wasn't that I hated men, it was more like they just didn't _do_ much for me. To paraphrase Rita Mae Brown, the difference between a woman and a man is the difference between a Ferrari and a pair of roller skates.

I had no trouble feeding from Eric, of course, but I had told myself that was different. I was starving to death, wasn't I? Of course I would feed on any blood I could get. If he hadn't shown up, I probably would have been trying to catch the bats off the cave ceiling.

But I had drunk my True Blood tonight; I made sure of that before I came to the bar.

The man, Armand, smoothed the hair away from my face and kissed me, gently at first, and then deeper, and I could taste him. Most of the time when you kiss someone in a bar, they've been drinking and they taste like beer, and sometimes like  
cigarettes, which is even worse. But I was tasting _him_, his personal flavor, and I knew it was the echo of his blood. And it made me even hungrier.

It felt like we kissed for hours, and like Dana said, he stroked me like a cat, over and over from my neck to my hips, just running his hands over my vampire skin. He very gently bit my tongue, and that's when I snapped. I bit him back, and when the blood hit my throat, my body went off like a rocket. I didn't give a damn about his gender; only about the warm, sweet blood that seemed to hold all of who he ever was or would be. I knew things about him as I drank: that he loved cabernet and chocolate. That he had lost someone dear to him and it still hurt inside. That every bite he received helped to soothe that hurt, but the soothing was only temporary. That there was something bittersweet between him and Pam...

"Aahhh" he breathed as he gently pushed me away. "A sweet kiss_, cherie._. But there must be more."

He tilted his head back again. Praying I wouldn't kill him, I sank my fangs into the side of his neck. He growled in pleasure and pressed me hard against him. The blood from his neck was thicker and richer, and in it I could taste his heart. I took only one drink, as Pam had told me to, but it was a fairly long one. He got my attention by lightly tapping my ear. I managed to rip myself away and he smiled. "_Exquisite, mon ange cramoisi, si délicieux!_ I hope I shall see here you often."

And with that, he slipped something cool and papery into my vest, got off the chaise, and walked out. I sat there a moment trying to get myself together before I looked down. It was a 100 dollar bill.

I had just turned my first trick.

It was a while before I could get off the couch and return to the table. I couldn't begin to analyze what I felt: the physical lust was so overwhelming that I felt like I would die if I didn't have sex _right now_. And since I could hardly come back to the table and start ripping Dana's clothes off—or Sookie's, or even _Jessica's_, for that matter—I figured I'd better sit until I could get a hold of myself. My face burned with shame. _Not like this_, I thought. _I'm not like this_.

Somehow, I managed to pull myself together and stagger back out. Sookie looked at me worriedly. I sat back down in the booth and Dana slipped her arm around me again and pulled me against her so my head rested on her shoulder. She smelled like patchouli; I felt her kiss my hair, and then she continued to talk to her young man. I was afraid to move for fear I'd end up mauling someone, and then the college guys would tell all their friends about the nympho bloodsucker at Fangtasia, and I would never have any peace ever again.

Sookie took my other hand in hers and the warmth nearly did me in. I burrowed closer to Dana and said a heartfelt prayer of thanks when the lights over the dance platforms came on.

_**Pam—POV**_

Eric's plan did not go off as well as he had hoped. Sebastian approached Jessica and gave her a bear hug, lifting her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist and was promptly pulled away and dragged home by Bill, but Sookie went along, too. Rachel stuck close to Dana for the rest of the night. I let her go home not long after the dancing started. Work in the private rooms can be very intense, and I figured she'd had enough for one night.

When I got home, the house was going from dark to dim as dawn approached. Rachel was nowhere in sight; I assumed she'd gone to bed.

I passed her room on the way to my own and was surprised to hear soft sounds, like sobbing, coming from behind her closed door. It made me pause. Was she crying? I almost raised my hand to knock, but I changed my mind when I discerned that among the sobs were the little gasps and cries that have _nothing_ to do with sadness. It made me laugh to myself. She was one of the lucky ones, then. Shame over our lust, our pleasure in the blood, has driven more than one vampire mad over the centuries. Rachel seemed to be handling (and God forgive the awfulness of _that_ pun) her situation in the healthiest way possible.

There is never any point in pretending to be other than we are.

I departed to my room for my own rest.


	16. Chapter 16

_**AN: This is turning into a regular novel! But I'm having so much fun writing it that I don't care:-) The poem I'm quoting is "The Ruined Maid" by Thomas Hardy. The references to "Savvy" come from Ingrid Law's wonderful book by the same name. I, of course, own nothing. Enjoy!**_

_**Rachel--POV**_

The next night, I was just leaving the library for Fangtasia when my office phone rang. I cursed; I was struggling from my ordinary library clothes into my pants and vest. They reeked of cigarette smoke, which nearly made me gag. Since I'd become a vampire, my sense of smell had gotten incredibly sharp. I could still smell Armand's cologne and Dana's patchouli on it, as well. It was clear I was going to need a whole other working wardrobe.

"RACHEL HONEY, IS THAT YOU?"

I winced and held the phone away from ear. "It's me, Mama. Don't holler, all right? I can hear you just fine."

"WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO SEE US? WE HAVEN'TSEEN YOU SINCE YOU GOT HOME! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? ARE YOU STILL LIVING WITH THAT AWFUL WOMAN?" she had lowered her voice, but not by too much.

"Pam, yes. We're going to live together until I can register as independently dead. You know that."

"WELL, I CAN'T SAY THAT I LIKE IT, BUT YOUR LIFE'S YOUR OWN, HONEY. GO AHEAD…YOU KNOW I NEVER BELIEVE IN BUTTING IN."

Right. And the bridge over Lake Ponchartrain costs how much?

"ARE YA COMIN' FOR DINNER THIS SUNDAY?"

"Mama...I'm a _vampire_ now. That means I don't eat. And you always have dinner at four o'clock on Sundays. Unless it's the middle of December, I'm not gonna make it! The sun's still gonna be out!"

"I THOUGHTA THAT ALREADY. YOUR MAMA AIN'T STUPID, MISS RACHEL MARIE! WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE SNACK IN THE AFTERNOON, THEN SUPPER AT NINE. PASTOR IS COMING."

"Won't that make everyone hungry? And Daddy goes to bed around ten. Why don't you have your supper and I'll come by once it's dark?"

She was quiet a minute. "IT WON'T BE THE SAME." she said sadly.

"I know, Mama" I said gently, "But nothing is the same now."

She reluctantly agreed, and even brought herself to extend an invitation for Pam. When she hung up, I painted my face as fast as I could. The phone rang again.

_Goddamnit_! "Rachel Dupree" I sighed as I plopped into my chair.

"Hey, l'il bit!"

"Hey Billy. Momma call you, too?"

He laughed. "Sure did, but that's not why I'm calling. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Working at Fangtasia until four" A set of paperclips was on my desk in a little plastic dish. I concentrated on making them rise into the air one by one.

"How 'bout I swing by? I've been worried about ya. Are you okay?"

I hesitated before answering. I wasn't sure I wanted Billy to see what _kind_ of work I was doing, what it entailed. Or how much I was making for doing it. I still couldn't believe Armand had paid me a whole hundred bucks just for me to drink his blood. And Pam hadn't said a word about collecting any of it for the bar; I had thought surely I'd have to kick back a percentage.

And she'd sent him because she thought I'd need "_un peu de soin_--a little gentleness". That still blew my mind.

"L'il bit? Rache? Are ya there?"

"Yeah, I'm okay" I pulled myself back to the present with a jerk. "You can come by. But you have to promise me you won't freak out about what I'm doing there." Some of the paper clips clittered onto the desk, I lifted them again. Levitating things helps me focus.

"Why? What're ya doing? Stripping?

I laughed and the clips bounced everywhere. "No. That would be easier on my conscience. No. My job is to bite fangbangers. They tip me for it."

Billy was quiet for a long time. Then he asked, "Do you hurt em' bad?"

I thought of Armand. "Not exactly."

"Do you get to keep the money?"

"I think so. I have so far."

Billy was quiet for a while longer, then he said slowly, "Then I reckon you're no worse than a bartender. What you're giving em' may not be good for em' but whether or not to take it is their call."

I felt my eyes sting and blotted them hastily with kleenex. "I love you, Billy."

"Love you too. I'll see you later. Any chance I'll see that hot friend of yours?"

"Pam? She'll probably be at the door."

"No, the other one. The sweet one!"

"Sookie?" I laughed. "Probably not. She belongs to Bill, you know. And he hates Fangtasia; she told me."

"Damn...that's too bad. Not that I've got a hope in hell, but a guy can dream!"

"You're late" Pam informed me when I appeared at the bar twenty minutes later.

"Sorry. Mama called."

"You have caller ID at the library?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Next time, let it go to voice mail. I need you here by nine, not nine twenty."

"I let it go to voice mail and she'll send the cops out here" I said truthfully.

Pam made no reply. Slyly, I added, "She's invited you to Sunday dinner at our house tomorrow."

It worked. Pam stopped powdering her nose and gave me a look of such pained disbelief over the edge of her compact that I couldn't help laughing. "Don't worry. I'll make your excuses."

"Please do."

"It's too bad, really."

"Why?"

"If she's bothering to invite you, that means she wants a show of family unity, which means that some of our other relatives want a look at you. They'll want to see how fair a face the devil has."

"I'll _think_ about it" she said sarcastically.

"Billy's coming by later" I added as I put the finishing touches on my own lipstick. I wished the stuff didn't feel so gooey.

"Who?"

"Billy. You know, my _brother_."

"Oh."

Since Pam didn't seem to care that he was coming in on one of my working shifts, I didn't bother to tell Dana. When he walked in, though, her eyes lit on him immediately and they widened. "Wow, who's the hunk, Rachel? He looks just like you! Not that you look like a guy or anything" she added hastily. She extended her fangs and licked them.

"My brother, Billy" I said.

She nudged me. "Are you gonna introduce us?"

"Okay" I sighed. I wasn't really sure I wanted to. Dana was friendly enough, but after watching her in action just for one night I knew she was all about money. After I had got back from my little assignation, Dana had racked up five private customers in two hours and come out with nearly a thousand dollars. "I'm not available for just a nibble" she told me proudly. "They want to touch me, any of me, they pay."

It wasn't surprising; she had told me she first started working in strip clubs as a teenage runaway. "It was the only way I could eat. I did drugs for fun, but it never occurred to me to try selling them myself, and I was afraid of doing something stupid and getting caught. On the other hand, half the fuzz in San Fran came to the titty bars on their nights off."

"Weren't you...scared?" I asked carefully. I didn't want to say _uncomfortable_; I thought it might sound insulting. Dana understood though. She gave me a crooked smile. "Yeah. But at least no one was touching me unless I said yes, and I always got something when they did. That was more than I could expect from my stepfather."

"Billy, this is Dana" I said after I had hugged him.

She stood up, arching her back just a little as she smiled. "Hey there! Welcome to Fangtasia."

"Nice to meet you" he shook her hand and grinned sideways at me. I shook my head slightly and tried to telegraph be careful! with my eyes. He took the hint immediately.

"What'll ya have, ladies? I'm buying."

"O negative, heated." I said.

"B positive with an A chaser" Dana said with a sexy little pout. "Tell Sean it's for me; he knows what I like."

When he got back with our drinks and a beer for himself, he sat down across from us in the booth and got right to the point. "Pastor Bob's wanting to talk to you. Have you spoken to him at all since you got back?"

"No" I sighed. "I keep meaning to, but then I never know what to say."

"He wants to help you."

"I know. It was real nice of him to offer to take care of me, but I don't know if I want him involved with my mess. It's bad enough that you and Mama and Daddy already are."

"I think it's too late to be worryin' about that" Billy took a long drink of his beer. "You know", he went on "your bosses are going to be interested in your savvy. They're probably gonna want to make use of it, and if that's so, then you don't want them to have more control over it than you do. You don't need to be anybody's tool."

Dana looked extremely curious. I gave Billy a warning glance. "You're probably right."

"I know I am. How are things at home? She treating you good?"

"Yeah, mostly." When she was home. This evening she'd been gone by the time I woke up.

Dana shook her head. "I still can't believe you're living with _Pam_. That's heavy, you know? She eats young vampires for breakfast."

I felt my cheeks burn. My body was still..._sensitive..._from the night before. References to Pam eating anything were NOT a good idea. Careful not to look at Dana, I shrugged indifferently. "She's hardly ever home."

"Lucky you."

Billy only stayed a little while. Once it got to be midnight, the hardcore fangbangers started rolling in and he hugged me and left. I don't think he actually wanted to see me at work. Dana was disappointed, but she took it in stride.

The night went fairly smoothly. I had a few offers from bangers who were interested in me because I was new, but they were all guys and most were pretty drunk. By the time I got to the third one, I felt like a stapler. Unlike my time with Armand, I could taste no hidden depths in their characters. I made fifty bucks.

The only female customer I had that night was an equally drunk sorority pledge who had been ordered to go to Fangtasia by her new "sisters." I didn't bother taking her to the private rooms; I just propped her on my lap until her friends came back. "Did you bite her?" one of them demanded, hands on hips.

I handed the pledge over to her friends and stood up. The girl who spoke to me was only about five two. I towered over her. I leaned close and put my lips right up to her ear as her girlfriends giggled.

"When I bite someone" I whispered. "They _feel_ it."

The girl gulped and took a step back as her friends giggled again. They got the pledge girl out of the bar pretty quickly. Dana asked what happened, and when I told her, she rolled her eyes. "I hate rush week. Why _didn't_ you take her back to the rooms? Her friends would have had to pay you, then."

"Because she wasn't even conscious. I felt sorry for her. With 'sisters' like that, who needs enemies? What if I'd been some guy? She'd be date-raped by now."

"Okay, but I still would have taken the bread. And you know Rachel, they're just gonna bring her back some other night. And maybe you won't be working then, and maybe they'll pick me, or Charmaine, or Sebastian, or any of the other half-dozen vamps working here that aren't so tenderhearted."

A chill went down my back. Dana saw it and nodded. "Listen...I'm gonna tell you something right now: don't bum yourself out too much feeling sorry for the humans, okay? Most of them would burn you alive without thinking twice about it. And the rest--no matter how liberal they say they are--are never going to think of you as anything other than a monster."

"My family doesn't think like that!" I protested.

"Your brother seems cool" she agreed. "But wait until he gets married, then see how many of those family gatherings you get invited to. Especially once he has kids. He may want to see you, but I'll bet you ten bucks his wife won't want you anywhere around."

"I guess that depends on the girl he marries" I said, slowly. I was stung to think that Dana was probably right. I tried to joke "Maybe he'll marry a vampire!"

Dana guffawed. "Not too goddamn likely, honey! But if he does, tell him to put me down on the list."

I thought about that a lot as I got ready to go over to Mama's the next day. It was selfish, but I hoped that Billy wouldn't marry for a very long time. I indulged in a brief, pointless fantasy that he and Sookie got married and I could still see him as much as I wanted. _She_ wouldn't think I was a danger to my nieces and nephews.

_**Pam—POV**_

"Is that what you're going to wear?" I asked, just because I felt like complaining. Thanks to Eric, I was stuck accompanying Rachel to have "dinner" with her parents and the rest of the cast of _Hee Haw._

"Yes", Rachel said pleasantly. "And _nobody_ gets to say anything about it unless _nobody_ plans to be gracious and come along." She was wearing her jeans, a black t-shirt with a huge, oh-so-subtle set of vampire fangs printed on it, and those rubber abortions called commonly known as "crocs" on her feet.

"Honey, I'm being gracious just by letting them _live. _And Eric was kind enough to remind me of what happened the _last_ time we left you unattended."

She sighed. "Believe it or not, there's a reason for the way I'm dressed. I have no intention of letting anyone treat me like I have some sort of unmentionable disease. I know it's throwing it in their faces, but that's better than acting like I'm ashamed of myself, because I'm not."

"Then let one of the things that I teach you be that you can make your point with a rapier instead of a sledgehammer. Put on something nice and fix your face."

Rachel looked suspicious, but when I folded my arms she wisely decided that changing would be in her best interest. "This okay?" she asked as she pulled out a skirt and top. "All my good pants are in the wash."

"Fine. Do you have stockings?"

"What for?"

_God give me strength!_ "Because you're going to look like a _lady_, that's what for. Do you have stockings or not?"

"I got a pair of pantyhose…I just gotta make sure there's no runs in em'". She rummaged them out of a drawer filled with balls of crumpled cotton underwear that I prayed was clean. Then she just stood there.

"Well?" I asked impatiently.

"Um…I need to change."

"So change."

"Uh…"

"_What?"_

"Nothing" she said, hastily skimming her T-shirt off over her head. Her brassiere had a picture of Mickey Mouse on it. Yes, you heard me right. _Mickey Mouse._

I tried to be tactful. I asked, "Do you have anything with underwire?"

"Nope…don't need it."

"Rachel, honey, let the second thing I teach you be that _every_ woman needs underwire."

"If I had ta-ta's like yours I might have a bra like yours" she gave me a cheeky grin that made me itch to smack her one. "But I don't so no worries." She slipped into the purple blouse she had chosen and began buttoning it.

"The only difference between a small woman without underwire and a buxom woman without underwire is that a small woman has bean bags while a large one has sacks of flour."

"Pam" Rachel sat down on her bed and began rolling up her hose, "_When _are my boobs gonna sag? I'm twenty-six forever, remember? And why are we arguing about my underwear?"

"_Because I refuse to go anywhere with a person whose breasts are covered by a picture of Mickey Mouse!" _ I yelled in frustration.

Rachel laughed so hard she had to cover her eyes with her hands so the blood tears wouldn't ruin her top. "Wait till you see my Goofy underpants! Tell you what…how about I don't cover em' at all? It's a warm night."

"You're not funny. " I muttered. "But go ahead. _Anything's_ better than Mickey Mouse."

Still giggling, Rachel wiped her eyes, then deftly snaked her bra straps down her arms and wriggled out of them before unhooking the offending Mouse and tossing him in her laundry basket. She made up her face quickly and we were ready to go.

"Let's get this over with" I said as we backed down the driveway.

"Hey Pam?"

"What?

"What did you mean earlier? When you said about making my point with a rapier instead of a sledgehammer?"

"You said you didn't want them to think you were ashamed. So I made you _dress_ like you're not ashamed." I smiled and quoted,

**  
**_"O 'Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!  
Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town?  
And whence such fair garments, such prosperi-ty?"  
"O didn't you know I'd been ruined?" said she._

Rachel laughed again. "I always did like that poem."


	17. Chapter 17

_**AN: Sorry about the French in this chapter. Like Rachel, I don't know a word of it and thus had to rely on babelfish!**_

_**Rachel--POV**_

In my life, I have come close to killing my Mama on a number of occasion, but nothing compared to walking up to the house and seeing every last one of my immediate relations on the front lawn.

"Oh _shit_."

Pam looked at me with raised eyebrows. "I take it this wasn't in the plan?"

"No!" I shook my head hard; I still couldn't believe what I was seeing. "She just said Pastor Bob was coming. These are people we _never _see unless someone died."

"Maybe it's because _you_ did."

"Ha, ha" I said sourly as I opened the passenger door. "I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind!"

"Well, don't do it on _my _account" Pam drawled with an evil smile. "Five people or five hundred...it's all the same to me."

I didn't answer. Mama came rushing through the crowd as soom as she saw us. "BABY!!! YOU'RE HERE!!! OH I AM SO _GLAD_!!!"

"Mama, _what _in the name of all that is holy got into you?!" I hissed in her ear. "I thought this was just going to be a regular, quiet--"

"NOW DON'T YOU GET UP ON YOUR HIGH HORSE, MISS RACHEL MARIE! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU IS GONNA BE A BIG SHOCK FOR MOST OF YOUR FAMILY. IT'S BETTER TO GET IT OVER WITH ALL AT ONCE."

She held me at arms length and smiled, and in her eyes I could see her determination. I closed mine, inwardly groaning, knowing that Pam would be able to laugh at me forever about this.

"AND WELCOME TO YOU" Mama nodded to Pam, a polite smile screwed firmly onto her face. "WE'RE GLAD YOU COULD COME."

"Delighted" Pam languidly extended her hand. Mama gave it a firm shake.

"Where's Billy?" I asked.

"HE AND YOUR DADDY ARE SEEING TO THE GRILL. I GOTTA GET BACK...I'M IN CHARGE OF THE GUMBO."

She turned and made her way through the crowd. I turned to Pam. "Come on. This has to be done a certain way. First, I have to introduce you to Tante Aurelie. She's Daddy's great aunt. Then Uncle Beau--Mama's brother. Then Daddy's Uncle Paul and Aunt Leanne...first one side of the family, and then the other, or somebody will think they've been snubbed and it'll be a big mess."

"Who knew?" Pam murmured.

"Who knew _what_?" I snapped. "That we were civilized?! Well _surprise_, Pam!" I was pleased to see her look ever so slightly taken aback. "Come on."

"Tante Aurelie" I leaned down and kissed her cheeks _"Comment allez-vous?"_

_"Bien"_ she looked at me, her little black eyes fierce and unblinking. "Undead feelth."

I wasn't sure if she meant me or Pam, and it really didn't matter. I shrugged, keeping my face blank and smooth. You had to do that with Tante Aurelie. She was one of the few genuine misanthropes I had ever met.

"This is Pam, my guardian" I went on. Pam gave Tante Aurelie a cool nod. They seemed to measure each other for a moment, then to my complete amazement, Tante Aurelie nodded back. _"Vous êtes très vieux, je voyez. Mais vous n'êtes pas aussi vieux qu'une partie de votre sorte."_

"You are most observant, Madame."

That was another thing about her; she would only speak French. Not Cajun French. _Fançais véritable_

_"Est-il en raison de vous?"_ She pointed a tiny, gnarled finger at me.

_"Pas, Madame. Je prends simplement soin de elle" _Pam replied.

_What the what-what?_ I have no French whatsoever. I don't even understand Cajun most of the time, although I grew up around it.

"She was asking me if I was responsible for your condition" Pam said dryly; no doubt noticing the clueless look on my face.

"No, Tante Aurelie", I tried to explain, "Pam is--"

_"Est-ce que je te parlais, Rachelle? Silence!"_

"She just told you to shut up."

"I think I can figure _that_ one out, Pam" I snapped. Tante Aurelie always gets me mad. She sees Billy and me as Mama's children: just two more of the sprawling, vulgar Coody clan.

_"Vous parlez français tout à fait bien."_

_"Merci, Madame."_

"Hm. _Peut-être vous pouvez être une bonne influence, quoique vous soyez condamné."_

_"J'espère certainement ainsi, Madame."_

My great-great aunt chuckled scratchily and dismissed us with a royal wave of her hand. "Paul? Leanne? _Venez!_"

In contrast to Tante Aurelie, Uncle Beau picked me up in a huge bear hug. "GOOD TO SEE YOU, RAY-GIRL!"

"Hi, Uncle Beau" I said from the depths of his shirt. He smelled sweaty, as usual, and it had the rather unfortunate effect of making my fangs pop out.

"DAMN! WILL YA LOOK AT THAT! WANNA TRY AND OPEN MY BEER WITH THEM THINGS?" He grinned and held out his bottle of Coors.

I punched him gently in the arm. He returned the favor. Pam smiled at us both rather fixedly. I could practically see the thought bubble over her head. _Who is THIS idiot?_

"Pam, this is my Uncle Beau. Uncle Beau, this is Pam."

"HEY THERE!" Uncle Beau smacked a kiss onto Pam's cheek. It was so sudden she didn't have the chance to evade him, even with her vampire speed. "ALWAYS NICE TO MEET A SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LADY."

"BEAU, YOU BEHAVE YOURSELF!" Aunt Gladys yelled from the gumbo table where she was helping Mama. To Pam, she yelled, "HE STARTS BOTHERIN' YOU HONEY, YOU TELL ME. I'LL KNOCK HIM INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK!"

Besides Tante Aurelie, on my Daddy's side, there were his Uncle Paul and Aunt Leanne, Grandma Marie and Grandpa Joe and Daddy's brother, my Uncle Jack. All of them were very kind. Jack because he really was, and Paul and Leanne and my grandparents because they had clearly decided that me being a vampire wasn't too different from me having terminal cancer. Grandma hugged me close with tears in her eyes. "Terrible thing. You just let us know if you need _anything_, you hear? We'll be keeping you in our prayers, and you never know...maybe they'll find a cure! The doctors are finding out more and more about it all the time."

I thanked her quietly. Looking into her eyes and seeing her really trying to be brave made me much gentler than I would have been with someone else. Grandpa Joe didn't say much, but I could tell he was sad and worried and determined to be brave, too. Both of them greeted Pam politely when I introduced her, but they were distant and clearly uncomfortable. Uncle Paul and Aunt Leanne were the worst, as usual. They greeted me briefly, asked how I was, greeted Pam in monosyllables, and escaped back to Tante Aurelie as quickly as they could.

"They're hoping to get her money when she dies" I said.

"Spite is unattractive, Rachel. Don't embarrass me, please."

Only Pam would have the _nerve_ to say something like that! By a supreme effort of will, I managed not to shove her into the gumbo pot. _My_ feathers were considerably smoothed, however by watching Pam become ever more ruffled as we greeted more of my Coody aunts and uncles and cousins, all of whom either hugged her or nearly shook her hand off, all while talking at the tops of their voices. Mama's whole family, bless their hearts, were behaving like this was a perfectly normal family gathering, like I was still a perfectly normal person, and like Pam was perfectly normal person for me to be hanging around with. Mama must have briefed everyone in advance. I felt a lump come into my throat. Say what you will about my Mama, but she believes in doing right.

"Can I see them?" one of my little cousins begged Pam.

"Can you see what, honey?"

"You know..." Kayla pointed to her mouth.

Her mother scolded her, "_Kayla!_ That's rude!"

Pam hissed and popped her fangs out. Kayla giggled. "Ewww! Gross! But I think you're pretty anyway!"

"Well thank you, darlin'. I appreciate that."

"Did ya see em'?!" several more of my cousins raced up. "I wanna see em'! I wanna see Rachel's! Are Rachel's bigger than hers?"

"I apologize for my youngest child" my aunt Elaine said with a grimace. "She's at that age, you know...she just says the first thing that comes into her head and devil take the hindmost."

Pretty soon, Pam was reduced to standing around in a crowd of little kids with her fangs hanging out. I just stood there and laughed. Karma is pretty sweet sometimes.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Pam--POV**_

I thought longingly of Eric as I faced the children who were now swarmed around my legs. Until he met Sookie, Eric used to refer to children as "popcorn".

They were giggling and pointing at my fangs, which I had very nicely extended. One of them asked, "Can I be a vampire when I grow up?"

"Only if you're very lucky" I sighed sarcastically as I looked around to see where Rachel had gotten to. She was standing with her brother, downing a bottle of True Blood. "Watch this" I heard her say.

Rachel let go of the bottle and it hung there in the air, turning slowly. "I can still do it!" she said, smiling happily.

"Cool! Look at that!" One of the little wartlings pointed and soon the swarm was around Rachel, begging her to perform her "trick" again.

"RACHEL DUPREE YOU STOP THAT RIGHT THIS INSTANT, YOU HEAR ME?!!!"

Rachel jumped and the bottle fell onto one of the children's heads, causing him to shriek and burst into tears. "Oh honey, I'm sorry!" Rachel squatted down in front of the offended youngster, who tore away, yelling "MAAAMMAAA!!! RAY THREW A BOTTLE AT MEEEEE!"

Rachel followed the child, presumably to explain herself to the child's mother. Billy sauntered over to me. "Havin' a good time?"

"Thrilling" I said.

"I gotta confess, I was kinda surprised to see ya." Billy took a long drink of his beer. "I wouldn'a thought a family reunion would be your kinda thing."

"It isn't. I am here because I am Rachel's current guardian and Eric ordered me to accompany her" I peered over the heads of several murmuring people to see Tante Aurelie on her feet, leaning on her cane and glaring across the yard at Rachel like she would enjoy using it on her. Rachel was talking to the child's mother. I caught the word "accident"; I guess Rachel told her she had simply dropped the bottle.

"They know" Billy said.

"Know what?"

"About Rachel and me" Billy nodded at his relatives. "They all do like Mama--try to pretend it isn't there. Except for Pastor Bob and Tante Aurelie. She may be mean as hell, but she understands about savvy."

I looked at him. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Rache is gonna need all the help she can get. If she's starting to use her savvy again, if she's stopped sittin' on it, it may come out in all kinds of funny ways and some of em' might even be dangerous. Did I tell ya she can start fires?"

I stared at him. "No."

"Well, she can. She can also shatter glass, cause lightning to strike--"

"All right" I held up a hand. "I understand. But what do you want me to do about it?"

"Don't let her avoid talking to Pastor when he comes. And see if you can get her to talk to Tante Aurelie. It'll be hard...Tante Aurelie don't suffer fools and anyone connected with our Mama is a fool to her...but she can show Rachel how to control it. She has it herself."

"How do you know that?"

He laughed. "I know two ways: one, because MY savvy is knowing things, and I've shaken hands with Tante Aurelie enough to pick it up, even though she doesn't say anything. Two, because every time she comes near us, some kind of weird accident happens. It's because she gets mad. It's never anything too bad, and that's how I know she can control her savvy, because as much as she hates Mama, and as much power as she's got, if she WASN'T controllin' it she'd blow us all to kingdom come."

"Was the bottle one of her accidents?"

"Naw. Rachel did that on her own. But it'll come in somewhere. Just watch."

It came in just as the food was being served. Rachel's mother yelled. "Y'ALL COME AN' GET IT! WE GOT STEAK, BURGERS, AND GUMBO RIGHT HERE! COME AN' GET SOME GEN-U-INE COODY-PATOOTIE GUMBO!!!" The grill flames roared up so high that Rachel's father jumped back with a curse. I saw Tante Aurelie leaning on her cane, glaring at Rachel's mother so poisonously that if it had been me, I would have run a thousand miles in the other direction.

"Why does she hate your mother so much?"

"Because in the town where we all come from, Mama's family, the Coodys, are white trash. Or were until Grandpa Cletus married Granny Fan. You ever hear, 'he was saved by the love of a good woman?' Well, what saved Grandpa was that Granny Fan considered herself a personal agent of the Lord. She cleaned him up, got him to church, got him to stop drinkin'...he was scared to death of her, but she did work a miracle. He worked steady at the same job for forty years and they had their own house and Mama and her sisters got to take dancing lessons. Daddy's family, on the other hand, are the last of the Duprees. Before the Civil war, they owned land along the Cane River and Tante Aurelie's family were some kind of society folks down in New Orleans ."

I could believe that.

Rachel joined us then. "Whew! Thank God nobody got hurt. I should have known better."

"You talk to Pastor yet?" Billy asked.

Rachel made a face. "Billy, please—"

"Uh-_uh_" he interrupted. "No _ma'am_. You ain't getting' outta this one. Come on. We're gonna do it now." And with that, he grabbed her arm and dragged her away. "I'll be back in a minute!" she yelled.

"Take your time!" I called back.

_"Ce qui est ceci 'sav-ee?'"_ asked a voice at my elbow. I turned in surprise to see Tante Aurelie, sans any other relatives.

"They mean Rachel's powers" I explained in French. "I presume you know about them?"

"Yes. I know that Rachelle and Balletois possess _la différence_ as we have always called it" the old woman rasped. "Their fool of a father has always refused to let them come to me to be taught…" she kept her coldly furious gaze on Rachel's mother. "I know whose doing it is. She believes our gifts are of the devil. Vulgar, ignorant cow!"

"Then you also have these…abilities?" I asked carefully.

"Of course. Every generation of Duprees has at least one child with _la différence_ . You may have heard that one of our ancestors was an Indian medicine man. That is true, but there was magic in our blood long before that." She turned to me and regarded me with her small bright eyes. "That is why she comes to you."

"But I am not her maker" I reminded her.

Tante Aurelie waved an impatient hand. "It makes no difference. You are one of the Night Ones, and the Night Ones have magic of their own. Like draws like. Balletois visits me often. He has ever since he decided to accept his gifts. But Rachelle? Too much like her mother; too much under her mother's influence. She pretends her abilities do not exist. This is a slap in the face of _le Bon Dieu_, who gives them for us to use."

I just nodded; I had no idea what to say. Unusual for me.

"_Maman?"_ The man called Paul came strolling over. _"Que seul faites-vous ici Où est Leanne?"_

"Your darling wife is wherever you left her. Go away. I'm talking to this young woman."

"_Maman_, I am sure Rachel's friend would like to be getting back to the party—"

"Rachelle's _friend_ has no more interest in this _fête des imbéciles_ than I do. Now run along and see if _la vache stupide _has any wine fit to drink."

"There is only beer, _Maman_. Beer and soft drinks for the children."

"_Putain bête._ Never mind the wine. Just run away and let me finish my conversation."

"But _Maman_—"

"_ALLEZ! MAINTENANT!" _

Paul scuttled away at once. You wouldn't think a roar like that could come from such a tiny, fragile old woman.

"He's made me raise my voice" she said, coughing angrily. "Now my throat will be sore. Well, just think over what I said. Rachelle must come and see me." She turned and hobbled in the direction of the buffet tables, and soon her daughter-in-law was with her and presumably getting an earful as well.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Pam--POV**_

"Did you have a nice time?"

"Shut up" I growled.

Eric laughed. "I bet it built character. And that you learned all the verses to 'What a Friend We Have In Jesus.'"

"Bastard. Where were you, on the roof?"

"No. The house next door has a nice tall tree."

"The only person in her family with _any_ intelligence whatsoever is her great-great-aunt." I sighed as I plopped down in the chair across from Eric's desk. "And now _I'm_ lumbered with the task of making Rachel visit her so Rachel can be trained to use her powers. Rachel hates the old lady because the old lady knows what an idiot Rachel's mother is, and doesn't mind saying so."

"Pam, aren't _you_ the one who's always saying that whining is unattractive?"

"Shut _up! _Don't tell me what I said." Eric laughed again. "How goes it with Sookie?" I asked sweetly.

_That_ wiped the smirk off of his face pretty quickly. "Still no luck? You poor, poor thing." I cooed in mock sympathy.

"You know, Pam" Eric switched tack, his face turning as phonily sympathetic as my own, "You've been working pretty hard, lately. Too hard. You're here every night, rain or shine, working the door, which I know you hate."

"No rest for the wicked, darlin'."

"I think you need to spend more time at home."

"No, I don't."

"Poor Bubba deserves a night off. I want him to guard Sookie for a while." Eric had Bubba watch the house whenever I wasn't home, just in case Rachel took it into her head to run off again.

"Eric, I may not be found of working to door, but I would be even less fond of sitting at home on my ass with someone I have nothing to say to, and who has nothing to say to me."

"You never talk?"

"What's to talk about?!" I shook my head in exasperation. "Besides, the library's put her in charge of their new graveyard shift. She works from 9 P.M. to 5 A.M. five days a week. She's never home, either."

"Well, I'll just have to see what I can do about changing your schedule."

"Oh for _God's_ sake, Eric! What did I ever do to you?!"

"You made a stupid mistake which _I_ had to pay for. The Wallace woman has informed her superiors that we refuse to send Rachel to an orphanage or insist she attend those idiotic transition meetings. I am getting harassed nightly by DVS. They've even threatened to call in the Magister. He won't do anything because he'll find the case as ridiculous as we do, but it's attention we don't need. I want you to spend her off nights with her."

_"Fine"_ I grumbled. "I will be bored to insanity. I hope you're happy."

He leaned close. "Only one thing would make me happy at this point. Can you give it to me, Pamela?"

He never calls me that unless I've reached the limits of his patience.

"No, I can't deliver Sookie Stackhouse to you on a silver platter" I stood up and dropped him my best curtsey. "As my maker commands."

"Good."

_**Rachel—POV**_

"Um...shouldn't you be at work by now?" I asked. It was Saturday night. The library closed at 5 on Saturdays and I wasn't scheduled for another Fangtasia shift until the next month.

"Yes, I should." Pam didn't look up from the _Vogue_ she was reading.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because Eric told me that I was to spend your off nights with you."

"Oh." Stupid as it was, I couldn't help but be a little hurt. I wished Pam wouldn't make it so _obvious_ she hated having to spend time with me: the stupid, boring hick with the vulgar, inbred hick family. No wonder she and Tante Aurelie took to each other so well. I actually found one of Tante Aurelie's engraved calling cards in my mailbox when I got home the other night. She has a phone, but she'd rather communicate with those damn cards. I have no idea what century she thinks it is. The sight of that little white card made me crabby for the rest of the evening because receiving one amounts to a royal summons.

I tried to focus on the candle in front of me. I was trying to light it without matches or a lighter. If I can start fires when I'm angry, surely the ability has more practical uses. I focused on the wick, my bare feet planted solidly on the hardwood floor and tried to feel the energy coming up from the earth. I could feel it, but it seemed muffled and more diffuse. Maybe it was the insulation on the house. A spark snapped in the air, but that was it.

"Please don't burn the house down."

"I'll take it outside."

"No, you won't. _I_ don't want to go outside. Practice something else."

I levitated one of the sofa pillows and threw it at her. It bounced off her head, probably because I was so irritated. My aim is never that good when I'm calm. She jumped up and was across the room in two seconds. The next thing I knew, she'd pinned me into the couch by my shoulders and was hissing "If you _ever _do anything like that again..."

"You'll what?" I taunted. I was determined not to be a coward, to look her directly in the eye.

"I'll..." Her fingers suddenly jabbed into my ribs. I shrieked; I couldn't help it.

"Uh-huh" Pam nodded grimly. "I'm not allowed to damage you--don't think that _hasn't _been a temptation--but Eric never said a word about tickling. Don't try my patience."

"Jesus" I muttered as she got off me and headed back to her chair. "_I'll_ call Eric and ask him let you go back to the bar if you hate being here so bad. I don't give a shit either way."

"Touch that phone and I will personally tie you up in the yard and wait for the sun to come up. You've caused me enough trouble."

"For Christ's sake, Pam!" I finally lost my temper. "What in the _hell _did you expect?! That I would sit around and allow you to hand me over to someone who would kill me in a minute if she got the opportunity?! Maybe torture me first? What would _you_ have done if you were in my place?!"

"I would have gotten into the car."

_"I DID get in the goddamn car!" _I yelled. The candle ignited with a _poof._

"I would have done it the _first _time I was told."

"Really?" my voice dripped with sarcasm. "So you were a perfectly obedient fledgling?"

"My maker is Eric. What do _you _think?"

"I think you probably drove him as crazy as you're driving me. You know, I used to think _Jessica_ was a real brat. Now I can see she has _nothing _on you."

"How _dare_ you compare me with that little--?"

"Fledgling?"

"For lack of a better word."

"Because it's true. You're _sulking_." Pam arched a brow in warning but I was too pissed off to care. "Sulking like a preschooler just because you have to be here babysitting the garbage you found on your doorstep instead of impressing a bunch drunk fangbangers. It's nice to know that you consider me on an even _lower _par than them!"

Pam stood up. This time, she moved very slowly and deliberately. I stood as well and crossed my arms, suddenly terrified. I knew I'd gone too far.

She walked to the sofa and picked up a pillow. Then she brought the pillow hard against the side of my head.

"What the fuck?!" I yelled.

"I can't kill you, and I can't maim you, but I _can _take this pillow and beat you until my arms get tired...and that is _exactly_ what I intend to do."

There was only one thing to do. I grabbed a pillow of my own. The next thing I knew, we were whaling the tar out of each other. Bits of cloth and stuffing flew through the air. We pretty much demolished the pillows. By the time we realized we were just flailing bits of cloth at each other, Pam's hair had fallen out of its clip and she was breathing hard and my ears were ringing from all the blows to my head. I hoped hers were as well.

"Dear God."

"You want to go again?" I grabbed another pillow, but all she did was flop onto the sofa and try to catch her breath. "What's the matter?" I sneered. "You getting _old_ or something?"

Her eyes flashed blue fire and we ended up destroying a few more pillows. We stopped only when we heard the knock at the door. I had managed to knock Pam to the floor and sit on her while I pounded my pillow on her head. By then the room was strewn with pillow fuzz and shreds of upholstery.

I got up and answered the door. Sookie was on the doorstep. She took one look at me and said, "Uh...is this a bad time?"

I looked down at myself. My t-shirt was torn half off and my hair was full of pillow fuzz.


	20. Chapter 20

_**AN: Kudos to everyone who spotted MLLE (My Little Logistics Error) in the last chappie! ;-) After someone wrote me and pointed it out, I sat around half the night trying to envision a real knock-down, whirlwind, furniture-destroying pillow fight in which the combatants **_**don't breathe, **_**and therefore do not become exhausted. I tried to imagine how it would feel, and what would have happened if Pam and Rachel had gone on beating each other indefinitely, and you know what? I couldn't. As a veteran of many pillow fights, it's impossible for me to imagine one in which you **_**don't **_**wear yourself out and suffocation by your opponent's pillow over your face **_**isn't an **_**ever-present threat.**_

_**I suppose there are a couple of lessons here: 1.) Don't write things at three in the morning even if the idea you've got is the best one you've had in days. 2.) Don't write about things you can't imagine. I only got away with "until my arms get tired" because I can argue it's just a figure of speech! :D:D:D:D**_

_**Sookie—POV**_

The room looked like a bomb hit it. Bits of fuzz and torn fabric covered everything, and I had never seen Pam looking so disheveled. Her hair was tangled and her sweater had rents in it. "Hello, Sookie" she said calmly. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to see if Rachel was all right", I said.

Pam snorted. "As you can see, she's just fine. Why don't you ask about _me_?"

"I never worry about you" I said truthfully. Pam has always been quick to let me know that outside of blood and occasional sex, she needs nothing from the human race. I turned to Rachel. "What happened here?"

"We didn't like the furniture" Rachel said, deadpan.

"Too unstylish for words", said Pam in a voice that was desert-dry. They glared at each other for a minute, then Rachel grinned and Pam snickered and then the next thing I knew both of them were screaming with laughter.

"We killed the couch!" Rachel gasped.

"Eric picked it out, so of course, it looked like a leather shoebox" Pam said, shaking her head. "What _else_ could we do? It _deserved _to die."

"Okaaay…would either of you like to tell me what _really_ happened?"

"Just a little disagreement" Rachel said as she tried to pick the fuzzies out of her hair. "Eric is making Pam baby-sit me and she is doing so with very ill grace."

Well, _that_ explanation told me everything I needed to know. Pam doesn't take being told what to do well. Neither she nor Rachel appeared to be hurt, however, so I decided not to worry about it.

"You owe me seven hundred dollars, Rachel" Pam smoothed out her sweater, examining the rents. "This _was_ a Marc Jacobs."

"I'll get you a reasonable facsimile the next time I'm at Target."

"The hell you will. I'd rather go naked than—"

"Sookie, did you drive here? Let's go to Target."

"Oh no!" I held up my hand. "_I'm_ not getting in the middle of this. You two are gonna have to work this one out on y'all's own."

Rachel laughed again. "C'mon, Sookie, let's go for a walk. I'll buy you a Coke."

I looked at Pam, but she merely waved us away, "Make sure she doesn't run off, please."

Rachel grabbed a bottle of True Blood for herself from the kitchen and we set off down the dark street. Pam and Rachel's new home was situated in a fairly nice part of Shreveport , so I didn't worry about just walking around with no destination. "Eric's still pissed at her for what happened", Rachel confided as soon as we were out the door "so she's being a real pain-in-the butt. We had a pillow fight."

"_Really?"_ Of call the things I couldn't imagine Pam doing, being in a pillow fight had to rank in the top ten. It just wasn't _her_; she was cool, detached, elegant, and mocking. Pillow fighting is none of those things.

"Yeah. She said she wasn't allowed to _really_ hurt me—Eric won't let her for some reason—but she said she could beat the daylights out of me with a pillow. It was because I told her she was sulking like a preschooler and being even brattier than Jessica is. She grabbed one off the couch and popped me upside the head. I hit her back, and then everything else kind of just happened."

"You said Pam was brattier than _Jessica_?!" I burst into laughter. "Lord, girl! You're lucky you're alive!" I shook my head, still not believing what I'd heard. "Pam in a pillow fight! I can't wait to tell Bill! He'll never believe it!"

"I can't believe it, either. I thought she was gonna kill me at first."

"She must really like you" I teased.

It was Rachel's turn to snort. "Yeah, right! The little piece of white trash from her basement. I'm worth less then her least favorite pair of _shoes_ to her."

"Don't talk like that."

"Why not? It's true."

"I mean, don't call yourself trash. You're _not _trash. And whatever else she thinks, I know Pam doesn't think you're trash, because no matter what Eric said, she would never, ever allow herself to live with a trashy person. No, you were right the first time: she's sulking and she's taking it out on you."

"Great."

"And she _did_ pillow fight with you instead of trying to make you miserable some other way. Believe me, if Pam wanted to, she could probably ruin your life without ever touching you or speaking to you. She likes to think she doesn't have human emotions; a lot of the vampires think that, but it's a load of hooey. What's _more_ human than pouting because you can't get your own way?" Rachel laughed. "I may not know a whole heck of a lot about the vampire world" I went on, "but I _do_ know the biggest lie they tell themselves is that they don't have feelings. Why, when I met Bill _he_ was spouting that garbage. But if it were true, we would never have fallen in love. I think they do it because they need to somehow justify using humans as food. Vampires all _started out_ as humans, so the easiest way to keep _on_ killing your own kind is to pretend they're _not_ your own kind, you know?"

"You have to deny your roots."

"Yeah."

Rachel shook her head. "Denial's a deep river, though."

I got what she meant. "It is. And Pam may never come out of the water. But you just remember what I said and don't let her get to you. She's being a brat, so treat her the way you would any other brat."

"I don't know how she'd take it if I spanked her" Rachel said wryly.

I laughed. "I don't suggest you do that, but you can be the more mature person. Don't take the bait. If you can keep cool, she'll give it up. She gets bored easy."

We kept walking. True to her word, Rachel bought me a Coke at a Mapco not far from the house. The clerk's thoughts were perfectly audible: I was a disgusting whore who fucked dead people, even if one of the dead was a hot girl--he'd like to see that. I took my own advice and kept quiet. On the way back, Rachel asked after Bill and Jessica. I told her they were both fine.

When we got back, Pam was seated in an armchair reading _Vogue._ As soon as we got in the door, she tossed the magazine at Rachel, who caught it in midair. "Look at the page I've marked. That's the sweater I want. I'm a six. Get the rose or French blue."

Rachel laid the magazine on the coffee table. "Get it yourself."

Pam gazed at her. Rachel stared unblinkingly back. Finally, with a huff of exasperation, Pam retrieved her reading material. "I _suppose_ it is a good thing that you're finally growing a spine, even if _does_ have to be with me", she grumbled.

_Ignore her_, I mouthed.

"I saw that, Sookie Stackhouse. You wouldn't be trying to _meddle_ in our personal affairs, would you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" I said cheerfully. "I gotta be getting back now. I'll tell Bill you said hello."

"You do that."

When you've won the battle, who cares about the last word? I laughed and headed for my car.

Much later, when I related what I'd seen to Bill, he didn't believe it either. "They did _what _now?"

"They had a _pillow fight!_" I said. "I couldn't believe it either, but their house looks like a hurricane hit it."

Bill was quiet for so long I lifted my head off his chest and squinted into his face. He looked grave. "What's the matter?" I asked.

"We're they...were they in a _compromising_ position?"

For a minute, I didn't understand, but the look on his face clued me in. "No. I mean, they had their clothes on, even if those clothes _were_ pretty ripped up."

Bill stared at the ceiling. "This may not be a good thing, Sookie. There's more than one way to control someone. If Pam thinks that forming a bond with Rachel will make Rachel _obedient_ to her, she'll do it."

I sighed. He was right, of course. "But doesn't Rachel have to answer to Eric now? Now that she has his blood and he's in charge of her?"

"Eric won't see a problem with it. One of his vampires' _personal _happiness has never meant much to him." Bill sounded so bitter I kissed him. "I know he's a bastard, but he _did_ say Pam couldn't hurt her seriously."

"Of course he doesn't want her damaged. Not until he knows if her abilities are going to be useful to him."

"It's better than nothing" I said stubbornly.

Bill let out a sigh of his own. "Yes, but how _much_ better I am not certain."

_**Pam--POV**_

"I beg your pardon?"

"I _said_, Eric, that we need a new sofa. And _I_ need a new Marc Jacobs sweater."

"Why?"

"Because they got torn up in a pillow fight."

"I see." I imagined his grin, his boots propped on the desk as he cradled the phone on his shoulder.

"No, you _don't _see, and get that lascivious tone out of your voice. Nothing _happened_ but a genuine old-fashioned pillow fight that claimed the lives of all the sofa pillows, two vases, and my favorite sweater!"

"Poor Pam!" he chuckled. "Are you finding your charge a handful?"

"Not funny, _Herre Northman_. Anyway, what _she's_ got wouldn't fill a midget's hand."

"Meow. Play _nice_, Pam. You're the oldest."

"I did play nice. She's alive and no bones broken and I didn't tear her throat out and I think a sofa and a Marc Jacobs sweater is fair enough compensation."

"What _did_ she do, anyway?"

"She had the unmitigated _gall_ to say I was a bigger brat that Jessica Hamby! Goddamn it Eric, _STOP THAT LAUGHING!!!"_

"Since she pegged you so accurately, I will gladly provide you with a new sofa."

"Ethan Allen, at _least_" I said. "None of the cheap crap. And my sweater?"

"I think you can handle your own sweater. After all, you tore _her_ clothes, too. Do you plan to replace them?"

"No."

"Then you buy your own sweater, _Jessica_."

"Be careful,_ master_" I hissed. "Kick a dog and it will _bite_."

"At the risk of sounding like the ghastly Jessica, I will only say one thing: _get over yourself._ And enjoy your new sofa."

The line clicked and that was it.

After Sookie left, Rachel got a broom and dustpan and the vacuum and set to work cleaning up the living room. I left to call Eric run myself a hot bath. I didn't see any need for me to help. After all, she _drove_ me to it.

When I got out, Rachel was sitting at the dining table tapping away at her laptop computer. She had changed into a ratty old T-shirt and a pair of shorts and her hair was wet, too. She looked up as I made my entrance. "Feeling better?"

"I am _not _speaking to you" I announced.

She just smiled and went back to whatever she was typing.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: The candle blowing scene is from the movie **_**Practical Magic. **_**I own nothing, of course.**_

_**Rachel--POV**_

Tante Aurelie's house is a perfect example of those moldering old plantation houses you see in the movies. Over the years, she has refused practically every modern innovation Uncle Paul has tried to introduce except for a telephone and a TV. One the few occasions I've been summoned there, I've always expected Bette Davis or Olivia DeHaviland to come drifting out of the front door.

I sat in her dim parlor on a small love seat with Pam next to me. She was still babysitting me on my nights off, which meant she had to accompany me to the Royal Audience.

"_Bonsoir, Rachelle. Bosoir, Mademoiselle. Je vous remercie de renvoyer ma visite tellement bientôt."_ What the what-what?

_"Bonsoir, Madame. C'est un plaisir de vous revoir."_ Pam replied.

"Hi, Aunt Aurelie" I said defiantly.

"I 'ave asked you 'ere for a purpose, Rachelle" she said abruptly in her scratchy but still imperious voice. "Do you plan, at long last, to accept your geefts? To accept _la différence_?"

I shrugged. "I never denied having them."

She spat contemptuously to the side. "'Zat ees _déchets_. You refuse to use them."

I shrugged again. "I used them two months ago."

"She was running away from home" Pam explained dryly. I managed, somehow, not to give her a swift kick.

"Ah?"

Pam related my adventures. When she finished, Tante Aurelie glared at me. "Eediot girl! Eef you 'ad not been so _stupide_ they might _never_ 'ave found you!"

Now it was Pam's turn to look annoyed. The sight of her disgruntled face was comforting.

"You may be half a Coody, but you are alzo a Dupree and through me, a Balletois. Our family goes all ze' way back to ze days of Francois Premiere. We kept our tradeetions; we taught our children. I taught Paul, but he and Leanne 'ave no children. When Joseph told me you and your brother had _la différence_, I expected to teach you. But your fazzer married Elsie Coody. An ignorant girl from an ignorant, peasant family. She was not about to let _la sorcière, la servante du diable _near her children. Ah _non!_"

"_Daddy_ was never too crazy about you, either" I said flippantly. "He didn't like the way you treated Grandma Marie. And if all you want to do is insult my mother, then I don't see why I should stay." I started to get up, but Tante Aurelie leaned forward. "_Seet down_, Rachelle. I 'ave not called you 'ere to discuss the past. Only the future."

Curiousity got the better of me and I sat.

"Most of our _différence _consists of geefts like your brother's: the ability to know people's thoughts, to see past and future. There has only rarely been _une différence _like yours. I was the last one to have eet."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really."

Tante Aurelie cackled. "Ah, you do not believe! No matter. Mademoiselle, hand me ze lamp on ze mantel, _sil vous plait_."

Rather to my surprise, Pam rose and fetched the lamp. It was an old-fashioned oil lamp. Pam handed it to Tante Aurelie, who removed the glass top and blew softly on the wick. Almost immediately, it flared to life. "Zees ees a small theeng, to light a lamp. I can light large bonfires; I can call rain and wind; I can travel to ze' land of ze' dead and lift ze' automobile you came 'ere in. Most of all, I can _control_ my _différence--_eet does not control me."

"But what good is it?" I countered.

_"La différence_ is a gift. And like most gifts, the good it can breeng depends on the situation. But the harm it breengs eef eet is _not _controlled can be great, and control only comes through_ practice_."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pam nod slightly, perhaps with approval. I had to admit, this conversation was turning out to be a lot more interesting than I had expected.

"I can teach you" my aunt sat regally back in her chair. For such a tiny person, (and one sitting down to boot) she somehow managed to _look_ tall and imposing.

"I've been doing fairly well on my own, thank you" I said loftily. "After all, I _did _manage to stay hidden from vampires who placed a blood mark on me--something that should have let them find me in three seconds. And there hasn't been a major fire or storm around me since I finished grad school."

"And where do you work? Een _une bibliothèque_. And with whom do you spend your time? Your mother. Or your brother and hees friends."

"So?"

"Obviously, you 'ave not exactly been under a great deal of strain."

I wondered what Tante Aurelie would say if she could have seen the devestation in our living room after the pillow fight. In addition to the sofa pillows, Pam and I had also knocked over a couple of vases and some breakable knickknacks. But there had been no storm and no fire other than the candle. Maybe it was because by the end of the fight, I was winning and therefore feeling much better.

"Actually, Madame, she spends most of her time with me" Pam said smoothly. I glanced sharply at her; what the hell was she up to?

Tante Aurelie nodded sagely. "Then that ees eet. Plenty of _amour_ keeps _la différence _sweet."

"Now wait just one minute!" I protested, feeling my face burn despite my efforts to keep it blank and smooth. "There's nothing like _that _going on!"

"No?" Tante Aurelie looked from me to Pam.

"I'm afraid not" Pam said with a smile that did funny things to my insides. I wanted to _murder_ her! She was doing it on purpose just to embarrass me!

_"No"_ I said firmly.

My aunt moved her bony shoulders impatiently. "Whatever the case, zer ees steel ze fact zat you 'ave nevair been trained. And 'zat ees _dangereux_, for both you and 'ze people around you."

" As for _you_" her sharp, black gaze turned on Pam, "would I be right een guessing 'zat my niece's geefts make her valuable to you? And perhaps 'zat is why you guard 'er so closely?"

"As I said before, Madame, you are most observant."

"'Zen you must see 'zat unless she can control 'er powers, she ees useless."

"Of course."

"Jesus Christ!" I muttered. I _loved _how they were talking about me like I wasn't there!

In a flash, Tante Aurelie had shot forward in her chair and slapped me sharply across the mouth. I yelped and dodged back. It stung pretty bad, considering how old my aunt was. Even Pam looked surprised.

"_Dans ma maison_, Rachelle, you will not take _Le Bon Dieu's_ name in vain. _Comprenez?"_

"Yes, ma'am" I said resentfully as I rubbed my face. I didn't say I was sorry.

"You will veeseet me" she went on. "And you weel learn."

"How often do you need to see her?" Pam asked.

"Hey!" I objected. "_I_ haven't agreed to this, yet."

"Do you know someone else who could train you to use your powers?" Pam asked, her face perfectly serious. It looked as if my aunt was right. For the billionth time in my life, I cursed my savvy.

"Pastor Bob wants me to meet with him" I said. "If he's part of the same tribe as my great-great grandaddy was, maybe he knows something."

"But of course. John Hennessey" Tante Aurelie nodded. "A good man. He does know a leetle, but 'ee does not possess _la différence_ heemself, so 'ee cannot teach you as much as I."

"I could learn on my own."

"And when _la différence_ causes damage to those you love? Perhaps even costs lives? Rachelle..." Tante Aurelie leaned forward in her chair again while I tried not to flinch. "I am an old woman, but once I was young, and once I was foolish and arrogant, and eet cost me dearly. My _petite soeur_ Josette died in a fire I caused."

Her fierce eyes never left mine. Mixed with the fierceness was pain, almost enough pain to make me forgive her for hitting me. Pam was silent, watching us both.

"If I do this..._if_....there's one thing I want, Tante Aurelie. And that is that you don't talk about my mother. _Ever._ Not one word. Do _you_ understand?"

Tante Aurelie pursed her lips tightly, then nodded. "I will do this. _Je serai d'accord sur ceci._"

"Then it looks like we have a deal."

My aunt closed her eyes and let out a breath. "Tomorrow night. Now I am tired."

_**Pam--POV**_

I watched Rachel as I pulled out of Madame Aurelie's driveway. She had buckled her seatbelt out of habit, and for some reason it struck me as rather endearing. She sat with her eyes closed, but her legs and feet remained on the floor, which I hoped was a good sign. I asked her cautiously if she was all right, and she opened one eye and replied, "Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

It didn't take Sookie Stackhouse to see that she was lying. And I was pretty sure why she was doing it. "Just about every vampire in the world, Rachel, is allowed to live based on their usefulness to the community. Even me. Even Eric. We are nothing if not practical; we don't see the point of being otherwise."

"All about power" she murmured.

"Yes" I said as gently as I could. "But it isn't personal, and you need to understand that. It will tear you apart if you don't."

She opened both eyes, then. "Why are you telling me this?"

I thought for a moment. Why _was_ I telling her this? The only reason I could come up with was that for whatever insane reason, I didn't like the idea of her becoming bitter. "Because you're one of us" I said at last. "Unless you plan to go into the sun, for better or worse, you are what we are."

"But does it have to be that way?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's wrong with just _living_?" She saw my raised eyebrow and chuckled. "I know we're dead. But at the same time, we're pretty damn close to immortal, right? All that time...all that time to see what you could learn, do, or be. Why waste it trying to control each other?"

"So there's less bloodshed than there needs to be. Do you know how many vampires there are in this country alone? Besides, we could ask humans the same thing, with all the wars they get into."

Rachel shook her head. "I think Sookie is right. Vampires are not human, but they retain a hell of a lot of human characteristics. I think it _is_ human; it's like being human and all of a sudden whammo! You're immortal and you have what amounts to superpowers. Of course you get obsessed with it. But frankly, that's a waste."

I thought about that. I never gave much thought to what the "meaning of life" for vampires might be. I was made in a time when just to be female was to spend your life in a cage. My turning was my freedom. "There is a _lot_ Sookie doesn't know."

"Like what?"

"For one thing, just how much effort it takes Bill not to see her purely as food."

"He loves her."

"He loves her the way a vampire loves a human: her scent, her taste, her blood mean as much or more to him than she does herself."

Rachel looked at me uncomprehendingly. "So what? I don't reckon he can help that."

"Would he love her as much if she were a vampire?"

"Why wouldn't he?"

"She would no longer have what attracted him to her in the first place."

"That doesn't mean he wouldn't love her. She would still be Sookie, wouldn't she?"

I sighed. How did I ever think I could explain to a fledgling like Rachel the pull humans have on us? She hadn't experienced it yet, what happens when one particular human has a certain taste or quality we can't do without. "She would, but he would no longer be able to feel the life in her, and I _don't_ mean just drinking her blood. That is what truly draws us...the blood is just a carrier for it."

Rachel was quiet as she pondered what I'd said. Then she asked, "What about your pets?"

"What about them?"

"What drew you to them? Was it just the life force?"

"That, and they had a quality I liked: grace, beauty, brains...sometimes even just because they made me laugh."

"And Eric?"

"Eric is my maker."

"So? You still spend the majority of your time with him. Is it _all _just business?"

I slowed down so I could turn my head and fully look at Rachel. She was sitting up now, leaning forward with her head cocked slightly to one side like an attentive pupil. "It would take at least twenty years for me to even begin to fully explain all the things we are to each other", I said. "He is my maker. He has been--and sometimes still is--my lover. And I like to think we're friends. And yet I've had to serve him with absolute loyalty, even when I doubted his decisions, and if I were unwilling to do that..." I looked Rachel directly in the eye "...he would buy out my share of Fangtasia in a minute and it would be like we never knew each other at all."

Rachel shook her head again, slowly. "I think that's the saddest thing I ever heard."

"And if the positions were reversed" I went on, "I would do exactly the same to him."

"And that's even sadder."

Her compassion irritated the hell out of me. "_Think_ about it, Rachel. Eric answers to authorities higher than himself. What would they say if he couldn't control his own fledgling? He wouldn't be Sheriff of Area 5, that's for damn sure."

"It still seems pretty harsh, trading someone you love just to be in charge of vampires you might not even know" Rachel sat back and closed her eyes again. I could see I wasn't going to convince her. Never mind. Time itself would do that.


	22. Chapter 22

Rachel--POV

"First we must talk" Tante Aurelie said when I returned the next night. Pam was not with me; some crisis had arisen at Fangtasia and Eric had dispatched Bubba along with me instead. Bubba is the vampire world's best-kept secret. Apparently there was a vampire working in the Memphis morgue who just happened to be a huge Elvis fan, and when the King was rolled in, that vampire fan sensed a tiny spark of life in the dying legend's body and took things from there. The only problem was, since Bubba was almost dead when he was turned, he isn't all there. He can obey direct commands, but you have to be very specific; you can't mention anything about his former life because it upsets him, and every now and then, he takes it into his head to run off. That's where all those Elvis sightings come from.

Right now, he was sitting in my car happily leafing through some old Sears catalogs. I was fond of him; give or take his mental problems, he was really very sweet. Sometimes he'd hum his old songs and I would just sit and listen. I wished Mama could meet him. I knew it wasn't possible given the throuble it would cause, but she had been an Elvis fan as a girl and I knew she would love it.

"When you were escaping from des vampires, what did you do to protect yourself?"

"I cast the swords of the angels...a circle."

"Bon. Cast one now. Let me see eet."

I closed my eyes and called the image of the blazing swords into my mind. When my savvy works, I can feel it in my body. Stephen King, one of my favorite authors, called it "flexing", and he was pretty much on the mark--it almost feels like that.

A high-pitched whining began in my ears. I opened my eyes and Tante Aurelie seemed farther away, like I was looking at her through heat-haze. I held the image of the flaming swords steady.

"Rachelle? Can you hear me?"

Her voice was muffled. I shook my head. "Can't talk. I'll lose it."

Tante Aurelie said something sharply in French and flung her hand in my direction. The room seemed to shudder and a shower of sparks fell from the ceiling as my circle was blown to smithereens.

"Ze first theeng ees to strengthen your circle."

"I guess so" I said, staring at my tiny, wizened aunt. "How do we do that?"

"Practice. You will cast until you are strong enough to withstand me."

That's exactly what we did, and let me tell you, that stuff will give you a helluva headache. In fact, you hurt all over.

"I think I need a rest, Tante Aurelie" I gasped after what seemed like the millionth onslaught. My circles had been getting weaker and fainter, and I was royally embarrassed that I was getting my ass kicked by a woman in her eighties.

"Of course." I sat back in my chair and tried to catch my breath. "Where ees your charming friend this evening?"

"She had to go to work."

"I must confess, I was surprised to 'ear that zere ees nothing between the two of you."

"Why? She told you...she and the other vampires are only interested in my because of my savvy."

Tante Aurelie shrugged. "The Night Ones do not usually deign to honor humans with their presence unless zey are feeding."

"She liked you" I said wryly. "Probably because you called Mama and me idiots--Pam would agree with you about that. Anyway, she has to follow me around. It's her punishment for causing me to run off in the first place."

"Ah?"

I told her the sorry tale of my attempted escape. Tante Aurelie listened quietly until the very end. To my surprise, she didn't tell me I was stupid or say I should have waited to see what Pam had in mind. Instead, she said, "La différence saved your life, I theenk. Perhaps you will not scorn it now."

"I never scorned it, Tante Aurelie" I said wearily. "I just didn't see what use it was. All it ever did was make people think I'm a freak and cause property damage. At least Billy could hide his most of the time."

"Pah! What common, ignorant people theenk ees of no consequence."

"It is when they're your neighbors, friends, and even relatives. I scared people. I mean, what would you think if you got angry and yelled at me, and all of a sudden your clothes were on fire or the worst storm you ever heard was suddenly breaking over your head?"

Tante Aurelie looked down for a moment at her hands. They were tiny and gnarled, but sported several huge rings. "I was lucky enough to be raised een ze Balletois family. To us, la différence was a geeft...something we looked for in every generation. My Maman was so pleased...she had four boys before me and none of zem had eet. I married your Oncle Henri, and 'ad my two boys, but both of 'zem had only 'ze faintest traces. I felt I had failed. Zen' Joseph, my youngest had ze' geeft of true dreaming, and I began to 'ope once more, but 'is geeft was erratic. 'Ee could not summon 'ze dreams. He married a decent young woman, but one weeth no trace of la différence anywhere in 'er family. Zen' 'is son 'ad you and Balletois and merci soient à Dieu, and you both answered my prayers..." she trailed off, remembering the bargain we'd made.

"What did y'all do with your powers?" I asked. "If they're gifts, what did you use them for?"

"Many theengs. Some of us were gifted 'ealers. Some were seers, like Balletois...they would watch over the fortunes of our family. When la différence took the form eet takes een me and een you, we were trained as protectors. I would eemagine 'zat is what ze' Night Ones plan for you--to 'ave you serve as some kind of protection for them."

I snorted. "I can't imagine why. They seem to have plenty of powers of their own. Super speed, super strength, and some of them can even fly!"

"Ah, but 'zere are ways to keel 'zem."

"Well yeah...sunlight and fire..." I stopped as what she said hit me squarely between the eyes. "Are you saying they're afraid of me?!" The idea seemed completely ludicrous.

"No. But eef you learn what I teach, 'zey will be. For now, zey see you as somezing 'zey can use. I was quite surprised to 'ear your friend admit it openly."

"Like I said, she liked you. You're the only one of my family--including me--that she actually does like, I think. She feels about my family the same way you do."

"Your task, Rachelle, ees to see to eet 'zat zey do not use you weethout your consent, and 'zat 'zey do not humiliate you. I know a little of the Night Ones...'zey consider humans beneath 'zem, and I would theenk one of them who ees as young as you are would not 'ave much status, eizzer."

"Nope."

"'Zen work hard! Practice every minute 'zat you can. Use your geefts...do not let 'zem be used for you."

I said I would.

Pam--POV

When I returned to the house (somewhat earlier than I had expected--Marcus had car trouble and I had to work the door until he arrived) Rachel and Bubba were already there. She was amusing him by levitating some pens and pencils and making them dance around on the coffee table. "That sure is a neat trick, Miss Rachel! How do you do it?"

"Magic" Rachel said dryly. She raised her eyebrows when she saw me. "You're home early,"

"Marcus had car trouble and there wasn't anyone else to cover. Think you can make it back to Fangtasia all right, Bubba?"

"Yes'm Miss Pam."

That's when the flaming bottles crashed through the window and exploded, sending flying glass everywhere. Rachel yelled as a piece ripped a jagged cut into the side of her face and bolted for the kitchen were we kept the fire extinguisher.

"BURN IN HELL, BLOODSUCKING FILTH!!!" I heard someone yell. Tires sqealed outside. Bubba hurled himself through the window to give chase and I jumped out after him. A battered green car was speeding into the distance but I enjoy a good race. In two minutes, I was on the car hood.

"You're in big trouble, boys!" I purred.

"Thanks for leaving me alone with the fire" Rachel grumbled when I returned, still savoring my little snack.

"You're a big girl, Rachel. You got it out, didn't you?"

"No thanks to you" she sighed and went back to trying to clean up the glass and carbon dioxide foam. The cut on her face was already gone and it looked like the furniture hadn't sustained too much damage. The morons probably thought vampires don't know anything about flame-retardent furniture. I kicked off my shoes and got down to help.

"Any idea who they were?"

"None. But they were tasty."

Rachel made a face. "Ugh. Just what I didn't need to imagine."

"Well, I couldn't just let them get away, could I?" I asked in what I thought was a farily reasonable tone. "When they know where you live, you don't want them coming back and bringing their friends."

"I suppose not", she sighed. "Does this happen a lot? Molotov cocktails through the windows?"

"No. But it happens often enough that every vampire has a few jumbo-sized fire extinguishers in their lair."

"Wonderful."

"It's a good thing we heal so quickly. It'd be a shame to scar that pretty face of yours."

Rachel stopped sweeping up the glass and foam and looked at me as if I'd said something in a foreign language.

"I'm not always a complete bitch, Rachel" I explained tolerantly.

"Didn't say you were", she mumbled as she dumped broken glass into the trash can she'd brought from the kitchen.

"By the way, I meant to ask you something" she said when she returned. "It's about working at the bar."

"What is it?"

"How come you haven't asked for a percentage of the tips I earn?"

"Because you're not officially on the payroll yet. If you worked there full-time like Dana, then we would."

"Oh. Pam?"

"Yes?"

Rachel chewed her lip for a moment. It would have looked even cuter if her fangs had been out. Finally, she blurted, "Why did you call that guy Armand for me? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did...but why did you do it?"

"Because" I shook some foam into the garbage can. "I didn't want you running out or breaking down or otherwise depressing paying customers."

"Oh. I thought it might be something like that."

"And after everything else that happened, I didn't think it would be wise to shock your system. You'd never had human blood before--not real human blood, and some of our patrons like rough feeding."

"Thanks" Rachel said quietly.

I shrugged. "You're welcome. Did you like it?"

She coughed and her cheeks turned pink. It was stupid, but I kind of hoped it would take a while for the capillaries in her face to die and for that to stop happening. "I see I have my answer."

"I wish I didn't."

"Wishing that is pretty pointless, Rachel."

"I know."

"Maybe it will be better once you have a woman to feed on."

She really turned pink, then. Sort of magenta, actually. It made me laugh.

"All I had was one sorority girl who was too drunk to know what was happening. It didn't seem like much fun."

"If you don't want to get left with Dana's seconds, you have to choose your own customers. Dana likes her snacks tall, brawny, and brainless so that's usually what she gets."

Rachel giggled. "Easier to get a brainless person's money, I guess."

"Definitely."

Once we got the floor clean, Rachel settled herself on our brand-new couch with a book. I had read all my magazines and I was bored, so I decided to make her amuse me. Since she was the reason I was stuck at home, I figured it was only fair.

"Truth or dare, Rachel."

"What?!"

"Truth or dare."

She put the book down. "Are you shitting me?!"

"No. Truth or dare. Pick one."

"Truth" she said warily.

"Are you one of those cowards that always picks truth?"

"Yes. Truth or dare."

"Dare."

"I dare you to tell nothing but the truth for the duration of this game."

I grinned. "Clever girl. All right."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Pam—POV**_

"I dare you to make an obscene phone call to Eric."

Rachel gulped audibly. I had finally nagged her into taking a dare and I wanted to make sure it was a good one. "If you chicken out, you have to be my slave for the rest of the night."

Rachel whipped out her cell and punched in Fangtasia's number. Her face was doing that magenta thing again.

"Hi, is this Eric?" there was a silence as he answered. "Hello, you big, blond stud-muffin! I'm naked and I want you to come over here and do something about it…." I cackled as the magenta deepened to puce. Rachel flipped me off.

"Yes, it's me. _No_ I haven't lost my mind. Pam and I are playing truth or dare. I have to make an obscene phone call to you or be her slave for the rest of the night…okay, I'll put her on." She handed the phone to me.

"I think your little protégé needs a few lessons in seduction, _Pamela_. I have been called many things in my life, but 'big, blond stud-muffin' was never one of them. I'm afraid I don't find it very exciting."

"I agree with you entirely" I said, still laughing. "Rachel, try this…" I uttered a few graphic descriptions of Eric's anatomy and stated what I'd like him to do with it.

"Well?" he asked.

"She's lying on the couch with a pillow over her head…Rachel! You better not get blood on that couch! If you do, you're paying to clean it!"

"Put her back on."

I did. Rachel said hi and listened for a few moments before clicking the phone off. "What'd he say?" I asked.

"A few things I have no intention of repeating. Your turn! Truth or dare?"

"Dare, of course."

"Okay" she thought for a moment. "I dare you to order a pizza then answer the door naked when it arrives."

"That's not challenging!" I scoffed.

She shook her head. "You've never been fat, have you?"

"No."

"It's still a dare. You gonna do it?"

I phoned the nearest pizza place and ordered 4 large pies with everything. "I'll take them to the club tomorrow night so they'll get eaten. Now, we will have twenty minutes to play before he gets here. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How many lovers have you had?"

"Two."

My surprise must have shown, because Rachel felt compelled to explain. "One in high school and one in graduate school."

"Men or women?"

"You've asked me one question and I've answered it. It's your turn."

The doorbell rang. I leered and whipped my shirt off over my head. The rest of my clothes followed as Rachel shook her head at my audacity. She didn't turn away though, so I took my sweet time with the disrobing process and sauntered _ever_ so slowly too the door. When I opened it, however, it wasn't the pizza boy. Eric stood on the front step and at the sight of me, his eyebrows went shooting up. "I thought _Rachel_ was the naked one?"

"Oh, get in here!" I snapped as I grabbed his arm and yanked him inside. "What are you doing here? Who's watching the club?"

"Chow. I take it this is a dare?"

"Yes. You're supposed to be the pizza boy."

"I could go purchase a few and come back."

"Shut up" I stomped into the living room and flopped onto the couch next to Rachel without bothering to dress myself. She scrambled to the other end like I was diseased or something. No wonder she's only had two lovers.

"Something wrong?" Eric asked her with an evil smile.

"Uh, no. Pam, are you going to get dressed?"

"What for? It's nothing he hasn't seen. And the pizzas haven't arrived yet. What brings you here, Eric?"

"A certain phone call."

Rachel groaned and buried her face in the couch again. Eric shook his head. "Not that one. The blond stud-muffin is unfortunately here on other business. I just got a call from the local authorities about two males, ages 24 and 22, found dead in a green chevy not far from this house."

"They threw a couple of Molotov cocktails through the front window" I sighed. "Didn't you notice it was broken?"

"I did. I thought it might be something like that. However, I expect you to behave with more discretion. You're not normally so messy."

"I'm not messy!" I protested. "When I left I sealed the bites—" I closed my eyes. "Bubba. Oh shit."

"Oh shit indeed. Were the two of you playing your little game when this incident happened?"

"No" Rachel piped up from her end of the sofa. "It happened right after Pam got home. Bubba and I had already been here for about twenty minutes."

Eric nodded slowly. "I cleaned up the mess, but from here on out, you get to deal with any trouble that arises."

"All right" I sighed. I leaned back and crossed my legs. Rachel made a sort of strangling noise. "Rachel, _what_ is your problem?"

She burst into hysterical giggles. "I'm sorry! It's just tickling me that you're having this normal conversation with Eric while you're completely naked!"

"Darling, _do_ grow up. Eric and I have known each other a long time and _very_ thoroughly. We have discussed all manner of things in the nude—him as well as me."

"But _he's_ not naked. Doesn't that bother you just a little?"

"Obviously not."

"On the other hand, it bothers _me_" Eric said, leering. "Why don't I just—"he was about to start stripping himself down when I held up my hand. "_Never mind_, Eric. Just go on back to Fangtasia…and refer any more 'calls from the authorities' to me. Although I _doubt_ there will be any."

"Why do you say that?" Rachel asked.

"_Because_, dear heart, my beloved maker is the world's biggest pervert. He was probably out the door and in his car right after you hung up."

The doorbell rang again. I got up and answered it and this time was gratified when the pizzas clattered onto the porch around the poor, pimple-faced lad's feet. "Thank you, honey. Here's twenty dollars. Keep the change and get out of here."


	24. Chapter 24

_**Rachel--POV**_

Let me admit right now I should have known better. Any suggestion of Pam's was likely to be fraught with peril after she spent fifteen minutes talking to Eric while sitting stark naked on the couch without the slightest sign of discomfort. When she answered the door, I heard_ "DAAAAMN!!"_ and the clatter of falling pizza boxes.

Eric snorted a laugh. If I had still been able to, I would have peed myself at that point. "Here's twenty dollars, now get out of here." I heard Pam say.

"I hope you tipped him" I said as she sauntered back into the room, looking pleased with herself.

"He got to keep the change. And a lovely memory." She piled the boxes on the coffee table. The pizza smelled wonderful; it felt very strange for me to have absolutely no desire to eat any. In life, I was a pizza _junkie._ It was one of the reasons why I had to lift weights and run every day.

Pam re-settled herself on the couch. "Are you still here?" she asked Eric.

He shrugged. "I didn't feel like leaving, especially after the invitation I was issued."

I blushed. I had been blushing all night. I was never going to live down that stupid phone call!

"He means _mine_, honey" Pam drawled as she leaned back and stretched her arms over her head, arching her back so both Eric and I could appreciate her impressive physique. _He_ certainly appreciated it--I could tell by the way his eyes took on a sort of white-blue glow, like the flame from a welder's torch--but he got up without argument. "Play nicely, girls" was all he said.

As soon as Eric was out the door, Pam got off the couch and put all her clothes back on in about ten seconds. "I _love_ tormenting him!" she said with relish. "Now, I believe it's your turn."

I took a deep none-too-steady breath. "Truth."

"Aren't you just a _wee_ bit hot and bothered by now?"

I didn't want to answer. There was no way in hell I wanted to give her the satisfaction. She looked like a cat that had just finished off a whole gallon of cream.

"You can always take a dare _instead_, you know" she taunted.

"Okay, dare" Anything had to be better. If her ego got any more inflated, it would probably pop her head like a balloon!

"I dare you to let me bite you."

"Why?!" I asked idiotically.

"Are you refusing the dare as well?"

"No!" I stuck my hand out, turning it so my wrist faced up. Since she had bitten me that way before, I thought it would do, but Pam tsked. "Now _what_ do you expect me to do with that? Stand up."

It was close, but I managed to get up without falling over the coffee table. A mighty feat, in the circumstances. What can I say? It had been nearly five years since I'd had any kind of intimate contact. Apparently being a vampire didn't make a damn bit of difference in that respect.

"Face the other way. Away from me."

I turned around and Pam stepped up behind me. One of her hands rested on my right shoulder and the other gently pressed my head sideways until my neck was exposed. Lips softer than velvet brushed along my skin. I was glad I was facing the other way! I'm sure my eyes were bugging out of my head.

There was the merest scrape of fang against flesh, and then she bit down. A gasp flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. It hurt. In fact, it hurt like hell. It also felt better than anything ever had. Don't ask me how those two things can exist together--I don't think it's a question anyone can answer.

_"Mmmm"_ she breathed as she wrapped her arms around my waist. She picked me up, lifting me clean off the floor as she drank. I'm not short--in fact, without high heels Pam is only a couple of inches taller than me--but somehow I was just hanging there in her embrace. I had spaghetti legs. That was the problem.

The pain receded, leaving my body feeling warm and supple, almost as if I were still human. I felt her tongue lapping the stray drops of blood from my neck and shoulder. When she was finished, she pressed a kiss beneath my ear, which didn't help my spaghetti legs. I was afraid I would fall down when she let go.

"Yummy!" Pam sighed as she released me. "It almost makes up for having to be here instead of at Fangtasia."

All of a sudden, spaghetti legs were no longer the problem. "Glad you enjoyed yourself" I said sourly.

"You enjoyed yourself too, if your pulse was any indication."

"Well don't think this is going to be a regular occurrence. I am NOT paying you off in blood every time Eric makes you stay home."

"Why not? It beats the hell out of whatever's on TV. And there are other things besides blood to share."

_Dear God. Dear, sweet, merciless God! Do You hate my guts or something?! Why do You, in Your infinite wisdom, have to plunk the ultimate temptation into my lap NOW?! Where the hell were You five years ago when I found out that the single most significant experience of my life didn't mean diddly-squat to the person I shared it with?! Now I'm faced with someone who's more gorgeous and exciting than Kim Brooks could ever hope to be, and I have to say NO because she's a totally self-centered, magnificent psychopath. Are You _trying_ to get me to commit suicide?!  
_  
"Pam, that is DEFINITELY not an option. We have to make it through the next five years without killing each other and if we want to do that, sex is out. It destroys more relationships than the cholera."

_**Pam—POV**_

I think Eric was a little surprised when I rushed into his office and kicked the door shut so hard it trembled on its hinges, but the look on my face made him pick up the phone and tell Chow he wasn't to be disturbed.

"She refused you, I take it?" he asked after I ripped the jeans from his body.

"Shut up and fuck me" I growled.

Later, when things had calmed down a little, Eric held me and stroked my hair. "I'm sorry you were disappointed", he said. He even sounded like he meant it.

"You're not half as sorry as I am" I said. "I just humiliated myself in front of a stupid idiot _fledgling_, for God's sake!"

"Did she say why she refused?"

"She said that we had to get through the next five years without killing each other and sex destroyed more relationships than the cholera."

"Well then" he said quietly, "it doesn't sound like she didn't _like_ the idea. And maybe she's wise. She_ is_ very young…she still has most of her human emotions. Perhaps she doesn't want to feel more for you than she should."

I sighed, knowing he was probably right, but also knowing it didn't help much. Rachel's blood had been the sweetest I'd tasted in many a year—probably because she _was_ still young enough to have feelings. Human blood is flavored by emotion; that's another reason we crave it so much.

"It hurt my self-esteem!" I said piously.

A laugh rumbled deep in Eric's chest. "It hurt your _vanity_, Pam. Nothing more."

Well wouldn't _yours_ have been?" I demanded, craning my neck to glare up at him because I was feeling far too lazy to move.

"No. I would have called it a woman's weakness and bided my time—ouch!" I socked him in the chest for the 'woman's weakness' crack. Why do I even _bother_ trying to explain these things to a Viking?

"Human set great store by their emotional bonds, and Rachel is human enough, still, to develop them if she shares blood or pleasure with you. It sounds as though she fears this, and she would be right to. Don't be grieved by it, _min äga._"

"_Kännanden är en mänsklig misstag._" I said.

"_De er verkligen_. Just so."

_**Rachel—POV**_

After Pam went roaring off in her car, I made my shaky way upstairs. I had no idea she'd take my refusal so badly. Didn't Eric say Fangtasia was crawling with her human pets? What difference did my refusal make if she had a whole harem of people who weren't even dead?

I suppose it _was_ a blow to her ego. Pam was so beautiful that very few people had probably _ever _said no to her, male or female. Still, I thought she would at least be willing to be _reasonable_ about the whole thing. Whether we slept together or not, we still had to live under the same roof for five years; she still had to be my guardian. Sex might not open up a huge can of worms for her but it would for me. I had learned my lesson the last time.

When I was in college, I had fallen seriously in love. I hadn't had any sort of romantic attachment since Brett Paxton in high school, so it hit me pretty hard. In fact, it kind of gave me a triple punch: it was the first time since Brett, it was the first time I had sex, and it was with another girl. I met her through this organization for gay students and she was everything you'd want in your first lover: funny, sweet and tender. The only problem was the fact that it was _my_ first time and a fairly earth-shattering thing for _me_ didn't mean she felt the same way. After a couple very heavy dates, she dumped me for someone else. I actually caught them together, and all Kim said was, "So? I never said I was in love with you. Or that I was ready to settle down. You just assumed."

I could maybe, at some far future point, have forgiven her if the girl in her bed hadn't started to laugh at me. Then Kim started, and that's when the curtains went up—_poof!—_in a shower of flame. Naturally, they both told everyone about it and pretty soon nobody in my dorm would have anything to do with me. People whispered when I went by. It was both painful and familiar, so I moved home and commuted for the rest of my time at school.

The point of this pathetic little story is that sex _means_ something to me—some kind of permanent relationship, some kind of serious feelings for the other person. Pam certainly wasn't offering either of those things; she was just bored. And I could just imagine how she'd treat me if I tried to explain any of this to her. She'd laugh even more than Kim and her girlfriend had. What tiny grains of respect she might have for me would be permanently gone. I didn't want that, ever. Things were hard enough now.

I hoped Eric or someone was putting her in a better mood. Going to bed alone when you're horny just makes everything worse. I shuddered to think what the next few days might bring.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Rachel--POV**_

I wasn't sure how Eric would take my suggestion, but at least he didn't seem to be rejecting it yet. "An ankle bracelet" he said slowly.

"Yeah, like criminals wear on TV."

I had decided that the best course of action was for me to see if I couldn't get Eric to release Pam from babysitting duties. I had no plans to run off again, but I thought one of those ankle bracelets might be a nice gesture of good faith.

"What makes you think I would be able to obtain such a device, Rachel?"

I looked into his cold blue gaze. "I think you can probably get anything you want."

He considered that. "But it's not for you to tell me what to do with my subordinates."

"No. This is just a suggestion. One of those bracelets would let you know where I was at all times. It would let Pam come back to work on the weekends."

"Did _she_ ask you to do this?"

"No" I shook my head. "But I assume she told you what happened after you left, and the whole _reason _it happened was because she was bored. We wouldn't have been _playing _that stupid game if she wasn't bored." I leaned forward. "I'm not exactly a party girl, Eric. On my nights off I read, I watch DVD's at home...sometimes I go see my family and I used to go out to dinner. Pam's used to being at a club every weekend where something's always happening. At home, there's only me. It's understandable that she'd want to amuse herself with me, but it's still not a good idea."

"Why not?"

_Great._ I winced inwardly. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to spell it out for him. "Because she doesn't care about me. She does as she's told because she doesn't want to get in any more trouble, but it's not like she would _personally _give a damn if I disappeared tomorrow, and I'm sorry, but that _matters_ to me. Maybe when I'm her age it won't, but it does now."

Eric was silent. I think he might have been trying to imagine what "mattering" felt like. Finally, he said. "Very well. I will allow her to return."

"Okay. Are you gonna get me the bracelet?"

"That won't be necessary. Swear to me you won't run away again. No matter what happens."

I raised my right hand. "I swear."

Eric's eyes burned into mine. "Swear on your _mother's_ life, Rachel."

I swallowed hard. I knew exactly how serious he was. "I swear."

_**Pam—POV**_

I was surprised when Eric abruptly informed me that I was now allowed to return to work at Fangtasia. "What made you change your mind?"

"Your fledgling", he said dryly. "She came to me and offered to wear and electronic tracking device if only I would let you come back."

"How nice. She certainly knows how to make a girl feel good."

"She's afraid. That should be _some _comfort, Pam."

"Not much, it isn't."

"We have more pressing difficulties now. Sophie-Anne wants to see her. She's heard about our Rachel and is curious to see her for herself."

"Bill?" I asked feeling the same sense of doom I always feel whenever Sophie-Anne is mentioned.

Eric nodded. "It was inevitable, but I'm not looking forward to it."

Neither was I. There is nothing to look forward to when you deal with royalty. Royalty in any form is a monumental pain in the ass.

"When do we go?"

"As soon as possible."

"Pack a suitcase" I informed Rachel when I got home that night. "We're going to New Orleans ."

She studied my face. "You don't seem too happy about it."

"I'm not. This is a command performance. It seems Bill Compton has told our illustrious queen about you. She wants to see what kind of powers you have."

"Right now, I have very little" Rachel put her book down. "Do we have to leave right away?"

"Tomorrow night. Call your boss and tell her you have an emergency."

"Is Eric coming too?"

"Yes." I headed upstairs to start packing my own things. Rachel followed me. "Why the on earth did Bill tell her about me?"

"Probably because she asked him. He's been doing some work for her, so they keep in touch." I went into my closet and got my Louis Vuittons off the top shelf. Rachel sat on my bed; I wished she wouldn't.

"What kind of work is Bill doing for her?"

"I don't _know_, Rachel. Call him yourself and _ask _if you want to know so badly." I snapped.

"Okay", she said quietly. She got up immediately and left the room. I waited for a moment to see if she really would go down to the kitchen and call, but her footsteps simply proceeded down the hall to her room. I heard the door click shut. For the rest of the evening, Rachel did not re-appear downstairs.

_**Rachel—POV**_

I shut the door of my room behind me and silently counted to ten. I would not fight with her; I would not take the bait. I had other things to deal with now.

I called Sharon from my cell and said exactly what Pam told me to say: that I had an emergency. I was grateful that the system had recently hired two other vampires to work as library associates. They could cover for me until I got back.

Packing for the trip kind of stumped me. What do you wear when you're going to meet royalty? I didn't have one formal dress, just a traditional little black one. I threw it into my beat-up old green suitcase, along with underwear, slacks, shirts, and my good black pumps.

The airline we flew was something else! It was called Anubis; it catered to vampires and there was an extra-large cargo hold for these containers that looked like Dustbuster vacuums. I was told they were "travel coffins". We were going to travel in them. I eyed mine warily. While I'm not outright claustrophobic, I am not fond of small spaces.

"Get _in_, Rachel" Pam said impatiently.

I gingerly climbed into the thing and lay down. The skycap snapped the lid shut on me and I was in total darkness. I didn't like that at _all._ I closed my eyes and pretended I was in my bed at home but I couldn't actually sleep. Vampire sleep is nothing like human sleep; it only comes on you when the sun rises and it's more like being dead. You don't dream, you don't know anything until the next night. I miss dreaming.

The flight was smooth, thank God. I couldn't imagine anything worse than being in one of those travel coffins when turbulence hit.

When we got our bags, there was a limousine driver waiting for us. I tried not to stare like the plain country girl I was. The limo was like a motel room on wheels! It had TV and a bar and even high-speed Internet ports. Now why in the hell didn't I bring my laptop?

I read and drank True Blood on the ride to our hotel. Eric asked me, pleasantly, what I was reading and whether or not I liked it, but lapsed into silence after I told him. Pam looked out of the car windows. I wondered how I was supposed to act when I met this ruler. Bill had told me that vampires had absolute monarchs. I decided not to speak unless I was spoken to.

When we got to the hotel, we were shown to a two-bedroom suite. I changed into my black dress and wrestled my hair into a French braid. For jewelry I had a silver key pendant that I bought online. It actually came with a lock, but you were supposed to give the lock to someone you were in love with, so I hadn't bothered to find a chain for that part.

"What are you wearing that for?" Pam asked when she came into the sitting-room part of the suite. She was still in her sweater and pants.

"I thought maybe I needed to dress up a little."

"We're not going yet. When Her Majesty wants us, she'll call. Until then, we wait."

"Doesn't she know we're here?"

"Of course. Eric called just five minutes ago." Pam grabbed the TV remote and promptly began to channel surf. "I'm debating whether or not to call room service. If you call, they'll send a donor to you with any blood type you like. I'm hankering for a little AB tonight...a walk on the wild side."

"_Wow._ Talk about customer service." I said. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. The people were obviously getting paid, and they probably were fangbangers who loved their work, but it still seemed wrong to order people like you would drinks in a bar.

Pam finally stopped clicking the remote when Jerry Springer appeared on the screen. Chalk up the night's second surprise: I never thought he'd be somone she'd want to watch.

"You like _Springer_?" I asked curiously.

"The zoo animals crack me up. Now hush; I want to listen."

I retrieved my book from the bedroom and sat down. On the screen, Jerry blared "YOUR BROTHER IS MY BABY'S DADDY! These young women fell in love with one man, but their children were fathered by another! Stay tuned and hear them confess to the men they love!"

Pam snickered. "It's rigged, you know" I said. "They probably get a prepared script beforehand."

"Rachel, did I or did I not say to shut up?"

I shook my head and returned to my reading.

Eric came into the room and glanced at the TV. "Watching the circus?" he asked Pam.

"It's better than anything else they have on."

Eric didn't debate that. Instead, he said, "Her Majesty requests that we join her in half an hour."

I was glad I hadn't changed out of my dress. "Damn it" Pam sighed. "I was just going to call room service."


	26. Chapter 26

_**Pam—POV**_

"So this is Rachel" Sophie-Anne looked up with a gracious smile. Eric and I bowed, and after a nervous glance at us, Rachel did too.

"Come over here and let me have a look at you."

Rachel approached the divan where our illustrious queen sat. Sophie-Anne gestured for her to sit on one end and she did. Eric and I were not invited to sit down. She took Rachel's face in her hand and looked into it. "Hmm. What a pretty one you are! You haven't been dead very long, have you?"

"No, your Majesty" Rachel said softly. "Only three months."

"I understand from Bill Compton that you have a few special abilities."

Rachel took a deep breath (it takes a long while for the breathing reflex to die). "I do, but I don't have very much control over them yet."

"Can you show me?"

Rachel looked around the room and her eyes settled on the low table where Sophie-Anne's ever-present Yahtzee game was laid out. She levitated the dice, and even made them shake in the cup and roll themselves.

"You're telekinetic. Is there anything else?"

"Well, I'm not very good at it, yet, but do you have a candle?"

A candle was brought, and after a couple of failed attempts, Rachel lit it the way her Tante Aurelie had.

"_That_ has the potential to be impressive" Sophie-Anne said approvingly. "What else?"

"I used to be able to make it rain or make the wind blow sometimes, but I haven't done that in years…it caused too many storms."

"Try it now."

Rachel looked terrified, slowly, she closed her eyes and a wave of energy began to build in the room. I felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I glanced at Eric but he merely looked extremely interested. Outside, the wind began to pick up. Soon it was blowing hard. Rain began to fall, and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Goodness" Sophie-Anne said as the wind blew even harder and a few small limbs ripped off the trees in her courtyard. "Can you stop it?"

"No, your Majesty" Rachel whispered. "Not once it's gotten started."

Rain pounded furiously on the windows. The sky lit up with lightning and the thunder boomed and roared. The small courtyard was rapidly becoming flooded. Rachel closed her eyes again and her face contorted into a grimace. Despite what she'd said, she was trying to stop the storm, or at least keep it from getting worse. It didn't seem to be helping much, though. Hail was starting to fall. Outside, I could hear sirens going off.

"Oh _shit!_" groaned Rachel. "We have to get away from the windows. _Now!_"

Neither I, nor Eric nor Sophie-Anne nor her human pet (who hadn't said a word throughout the whole thing), nor her two bodyguards argued. Sophie-Anne rose calmly and led the way out of the room, her pet and guards following. Rachel stood up and swayed a little. Eric caught her under the elbow and steadied her and she leaned against him. He half led, half carried her out of the room. I was last. We are all out in the hallway when there was a tremendous crash of breaking glass.

"I'm sorry!" mumbled Rachel. She had begun crying and she bowed her head to hide it.

"It's all right, honey" Sophie-Anne said soothingly. "I have enough money for a new window. A hundred of them, if necessary."

"Th-that's why I don't do it anymore" Rachel choked.

"It's not so bad…it seems to me you just need a little fine-tuning. Bill said your powers run in your family? What's their name?"

"Dupree, your Majesty…and Balletois."

"_Balletois._ That _would _explain it."

"You know my family?"

"I know of them. How are you connected to the Balletois?"

"Aurelie Balletois Dupree is my great-great aunt" Rachel said.

Sophie-Anne laughed. "Is she now? I'll bet her husband died young. That tends to happen to a lot of the men who marry Balletois women."

"He was forty-six. It happened in a freak boating accident."

Sophie-Anne laughed again. One of her bodyguards, who had been clicking away on a palmtop computer said, "It's all clear, your Majesty."

"Well, it's obviously going to be too big of a mess to go back in _there _for a while. One of you boys call Kay and Margo and have them clean up. We'll sit in the Blue Room."

_**Rachel—POV **_

The Queen's palace was something else! A huge mansion surrounded by a courtyard and a high iron fence. Eric rang the bell and we were escorted inside by an honest-to-God _butler_—something I thought only existed in old movies! The butler led us up a curving staircase and down an endless series of opulent hallways before leaving us outside two huge double doors. "Walk in, Sheriff. She's expecting you."

The large, open room was all glass on one side and contained a huge swimming pool. Next to the pool was a low table with little upholstered lounge chairs around it. Seated at the table were a red-haired woman and a blonde, whom I soon saw was human. There were two vampire bodyguards nearby, as well.

When we got closer, I couldn't believe what I saw. _Oh my God…she's a kid!_

The queen could not have been more than fifteen or sixteen when she was turned. She glanced up and smiled. "Sheriff Northman…how lovely to see you again! Pamela, welcome. I trust your flight down was uneventful?"

Eric bowed deeply. So did Pam. I decided that it would be best if I did the same.

"So this is Rachel…" the queen smiled at me. "Come over here and let me have a look at you."

I stepped closer and she indicated I should sit on the end of her chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the blonde human bite her lip and stare down at the table. The queen cupped my chin in her hand and tilted my face up, still smiling. There was something intimate about the way her fingers slid along my jaw; it made my insides flutter. "What a _pretty_ one you are!"

I tried not to blush and failed miserably.

She asked me about my powers. I made some of the stuff on the table levitate. Bizarrely, she had a whole Yahtzee game set up there.

"You're telekinetic. Is there anything else?"

After explaining I wasn't yet very good at fire-conjuring, I tried the candle trick and actually succeeded after a couple of times. The queen seemed to like that and she asked if there was anything else I could do.

I hesitated. I really didn't want to tell her, because my weather-savvy can have catastrophic results, but I also knew if she caught me in a lie I was as good as dead. "I used to be able to make it rain or make the wind blow sometimes, but I haven't done that in years…it caused too many storms."

"Try it now."

Trying to ignore the feeling of dread in my stomach and chest, I closed my eyes. To affect the weather, I had to gather all my savvy into me, concentrate it, and then release it like a coiled spring. I could never predict the results and the weather when we got off the plane was ominously sticky and hot for the time of year, even for New Orleans . But I couldn't disobey a direct order from someone who could have me killed right then and there.

Power hummed along my skin and tingled at the roots of my hair. It had been over ten years since I had last made it rain. That was the last summer we spent at the beach. Daddy thought it would be better if we didn't come back after I inadvertently caused a tropical storm after a fight with another kid.

I pulled my savvy in, tighter and tighter, imagining it as a glowing coil of power in my solar plexus. When I was this full of power, it felt like my skin was glowing. I let go. The wind, which had been rising steadily, began to moan and thunder broke overhead. I could hear the howling voices I used to hear when I was little—the ones that always made me hide under my bed until the storm was over. The voices were _inside_ the storm…they were the _spirits _of the storm. I didn't know anything about elemental spirits when I was five, however, and I thought they were monsters coming to get me. They shrieked in their whistling, unintelligible language as rain came down in sheets. The sky was criss-crossed with lightning and the night had taken on a scary purplish cast. Hail began rattle against the windows and tornado sirens began going off. I felt sick and shaky, the way I always do when I cause a storm. All I could think of was getting away from the windows. "We need to get out, _now!_"I shouted.

Fortunately, everyone was in the mood to listen to me. The queen rose at once and so did the blond human woman and the two bodyguards. I tried to stand, only to stagger as the room started to go around and around. Eric grabbed my arm and I leaned on him as we evacuated the premises.

We ended up standing in the hallway until the storm was over. Something did crash through the window—we all heard the breaking glass. I was blubbering and apologizing, but the queen was very kind about it. She asked me about my family, I think to distract me, because I was feeling incredibly humiliated. I told her and turned out she actually knew Tante Aurelie. I made up my mind to ask Tante Aurelie when they had met as soon as I got home.

When it was safe to leave the hallway, the queen led us to the "Blue Room": a little parlor decorated entirely in blue with tons of fancy furniture. She seated herself in a little blue and gold chair while her guards stood behind her and the blond woman sat at her feet and put her head on the queen's knee. The queen absently stroked her companion's hair as Pam and I settled into chairs across from her. Eric remained standing.

"That was _quite _a display!" the queen said happily. She looked anything but upset that I'd flooded her yard and broken a window that probably cost more than a year of my salary. "Do you practice every day?"

"Not nearly as that often, your Majesty" I said wryly. "My Tante Aurelie is teaching me how to control it, but I have a long way to go. For a long time, I never deliberately used my powers because of all the trouble they cause."

"And you retained them despite your turning" she went on. "That in itself is a wonder! Bill tells me you're an orphan—that your maker is dead?"

"Yes ma'am."

She pouted. "Don't call me ma'am! It makes me sound like an old lady."

"I'm sorry, your Majesty." I tried not to smile. She was probably the oldest one in the room!

"Call me Sophie-Anne."

"All right…" I said cautiously "Sophie-Anne."

"And you work as a…librarian, is it?"

"Yes."

"You can't be making much money at _that_ job. Would you like to work for me? I can pay you three times what the city of Shreveport can."

Beside me, I felt Pam tense. I glanced at her. Her gaze was carefully neutral, but something told me she deeply disliked that idea. Neither she nor Eric looked surprised, which told me they had been expecting something like this, but they weren't happy about it. It put me on my guard at once.

"I don't know…I still have family in Shreveport . I would miss them."

Sophie-Anne nodded slightly. "That is a consideration, of course. And of course, you will need more training to control those gifts of yours. I'll tell you what, why don't you take two weeks to consider it and then let Eric know? I understand that he and Pamela have been functioning as your temporary guardians. If you chose to move to New Orleans and work for me, you would be part of my household, and I could have you declared independent."

I couldn't believe it! Freedom was within my reach! Sort of. I had had a strong suspicion that being part of Sophie-Anne's household meant I would end up being a live-in servant. Still, the offer was extremely tempting. I wondered why Eric and Pam weren't jumping at the chance to get rid of me.

"It's a very generous offer" I said with a smile I couldn't repress. "What would I have to do?"

"That will depend on how far you've come in learning control, and whatever I need at the time."

Talk about an open-ended job description! The blonde woman at Sophie-Anne's feet had closed her eyes. I noticed that a tear had trickled from under one of her eyelids. It made me feel (for a second) idiotically guilty. It was obvious what her relationship with Sophie-Anne was: the way she was sitting said it all. Seeing Sophie-Anne pay attention to me would naturally be painful for her.

I said I would think about it. Sophie-Anne looked delighted and clapped her hands. "Now for the important thing! Do you know how to play Yahtzee, Rachel?"

_"Do you play croquet?" the Queen of Hearts asked Alice..._

"Rachel?"

I shook myself. "Yes...I mean, I haven't played since college, but I do know how."

Sophie-Anne gave a smile so brilliant that for once the old saw about lighting up a room was perfectly accurate. "Hadley darling, bring the spare game."


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: WARNING! LEMONS AHEAD!**_

_**Pam--POV**_

"We've lost her, haven't we?"

Eric was silent for a long time, and for a while I thought he wasn't going to answer. His arms tightened around my waist. "It's highly likely. Not just because Sophie-Anne is our queen, but because they genuinely seem to have taken to each other."

After Sophie-Anne had made her little indecent proposal to Rachel, we had spent the rest of the evening playing endless rounds of Yahtzee--always the price for an audience with her. Rachel and Sophie-Anne were the only ones who enjoyed it. They giggled and chattered nonstop about movies, books, fashion, and games as the dice flew. Hadley, Sophie-Anne's pet, played in a desultory fashion, not looking at or talking to anyone, her nose so obviously out of joint that she would probably need a plastic surgeon to put it back.

_"Jag er lei mig , övervinna", _I whispered.

"It's not your fault, _hjärtan av min_. All we can do now is try to convince Sophie-Anne that Rachel will need much more time to become an effective assassin."

I nodded against his chest. It would be useless to try enlighten Rachel about Sophie-Anne. It wasn't like she could do anything and even if she _could_, I doubted she'd _want_ to; I had seen how Sophie-Anne looked at her. And how she looked back.

_Maybe Rachel will have the same set of objections with her that she had with me, _I thought and immediately cursed myself for being an idiot. This wasn't about sex, it was about power. She and our queen could fuck like demented weasels for all I cared, (or so I told myself) as long as Rachel remained in Eric's area, ours to command. It sure as hell would be much better for _her_. Powers she might have, but stomach she did not. I couldn't imagine anyone _less_ fit to be an assassin than Rachel, unless it was Sookie Stackhouse. And of course, that's what Sophie-Anne would want from her, and she wouldn't care about her youth, inexperience, or still-present emotions. Rachel would serve her, or she would be chained in the sun. Or in a silver-lined coffin until she succumbed to starvation and madness.

I tried to ignore the niggling voice in my mind that suggested that if I had just faked an interest in Rachel's life and feelings, we might not be in this fix.

_**Rachel--POV**_

It was after three in the morning when we arrived back at our hotel suite. Pam immediately put in a call to room service, requesting an AB donor. I took a long, hot bubble bath.

I was still trembly from causing the storm, but the rest of the evening was great. I _liked_ Sophie-Anne. She was the first vampire I had ever met who just seemed to _enjoy_ life, and she treated me like an equal, which was pretty damn flattering. We played thirteen rounds of Yahtzee--"for luck", Sophie-Anne said. And we talked and talked and talked. Sophie-Anne was nuts about old movies, just like I was, and she loved to read. By the end of the night, I felt like I had a new best friend, even though I was cynical enough to know that a good bit of the charm came from the fact that she wanted something from me.

I sighed happily and sank beneath the surface of the water. One perk of being a vampire was the fact that I could hold my breath indefinitely. I just stayed down there and relaxed until I heard a soft tap at the door.

I figured it was Pam. "Coming" I said.

I got out of the tub and threw on one of the sinfully soft and fluffy hotel bathrobes. When I opened the door, however, a complete stranger was on the other side of the door. "Who the hell are you?!" I demanded, "and how did you get in here?!"

The stranger, who was wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, and a pair of oversized tinted glasses, laughed. "Nobody keeps _me_ out of _anywhere_, Rachel."

_"Sophie-Anne?!"_ I said disbelievingly.

She grinned and slid a dark, bobbed wig from her head. "Incognito is best for private visits. I didn't think your guardians would appreciate having my entourage in their personal space."

"Probably not" I agreed. "Won't you sit down? I'll join you as soon as I put some clothes on."

"That won't be necessary" Sophie-Anne purred. Slowly, she entwined her fingers in the tie on my robe, her gaze never leaving my face. Her lips parted, showing the just the tips of her fangs, and it was the most erotic thing I'd ever seen. My heart began to race.

Her other hand slid up into my wet hair and tugged my head down. Her mouth closed over mine, cool and soft and utterly intoxicating. It had been so _long_...so long since anyone had touched me or kissed me like that, unless I counted Pam's bite and that was hardly the same thing. That was simply a game. _This_ was the real deal.

Her tongue nudged its way between my lips, also cool, but the coolness excited me as something hotter might not have. I sucked it deep into my mouth; I wanted to bite--my own fangs were fully out--but I didn't quite dare. What was the penalty for biting a queen?

She opened my robe and pushed me against the wall, thrusting her knee roughly between my legs. I cried out...I was so sensitive, so ready, that the material of her pants was threatening to send me over the edge. Her fangs pierced the skin below my collarbone, an exquisite sting.

_Beautiful child, tell me you want this._

Did she whisper that? I couldn't tell. Her hands were on my breasts now, squeezing and caressing, pinching the nipples, and I was going up in flames. "Yes, oh yessss...!" I moaned.

Somehow, we made it to my room. Sophie-Anne locked the door and lowered the sun blinds as I lay naked and hungry on the bed. Another lesson learned: your juices don't dry up when you become a vampire. The insides of my thighs were slick and hot. She smiled as she slowly removed her shirt and jeans. Underneath, she was totally commando. (And a natural redhead).

"Do you want me, Rachel?"

"Yes!" I whispered.

She climbed onto the bed and straddled me, bending down to gently stroke her fingers over my extended fangs. "So young...I haven't been with my own kind in ages, but you are the newly born. Almost human except..." she stroked my fangs again. She was making me crazy!

"Sophie-Anne" I croaked. "Don't talk. Don't waste time. _Take me._"

She giggled, a silvery sound of genuine mirth. "Demanding, too. I like that...to a certain degree." Quick as a flash, she pinned my wrists over my head. "But don't test my patience. Or this may last _much_ longer than you want."

_There_ was a threat. I tried to make myself lie still, but it was impossible with her dropping little bites and kisses all over my breasts. _"Please!"_

She took a nipple into her mouth and bit down. I screamed as ecstasy shot through me like a bullet. She drank from my breast, caressing the other one in her hand. My hips were already moving, begging. "Aaah, lovely girl..." she murmured as she lifted her head, "...you taste like wine and cinnamon! I can _taste_ the magic in your blood." She kissed me again, letting me taste too, and she was right. My blood no longer had the heavy, iron tang of human blood. It burned sweet and spicy on my tongue.

"Do I get to taste yours?" I panted as her fingers slid between my legs, stroking me where I wanted it most. She shook her head, looking regretful. "I'm afraid not. I give my blood to only one."

I knew she meant Hadley, the blonde human woman. I didn't want to think about her. There would be plenty of time for guilt later. Right now, I knew I would die if Sophie-Anne stopped touching me. She was licking my belly, catching the little trickles of blood from my breast. I sobbed as she slid lower, pushing my thighs apart, her lips and tongue stroking my most sensitive place. I heard myself sob as I tightened inside. When she slipped her fingers into me, that was it. I came so hard my spine felt like it was going to bend in half. I was crying and gasping and she was taking me in her arms and kissing the blood from my face. "Sh-sh-sh...don't cry, angel. It's all right. I'm here...I'm here." She stroked my tangled hair away from my face and held me close, curling her body around mine. "You've been so _lonely_, haven't you? Pam is hardly much company, even for another vampire. Bill told me you had to live with her. When he did, I said, 'That poor girl! I'm going to rescue her.'"

I laughed. "It hasn't been all _that_ bad."

"Ah, but I _know_ Pam. Sarcastic, jaded, lazy to the point of inertia, and about as sensitive as a cinderblock--not the best choice of guardian for a fledgling just out of the ground. It only made sense when Bill told me Eric intended it as a punishment."

"Did he tell you _all _of our business?" I asked. I was sort of irked that he'd been such a blabbermouth.

"Of course he did. When I ask something, he has to answer."

I groaned and she giggled again. "Try not to be too angry at him. He didn't exactly _enjoy_ telling me."

My eyes were getting heavy. I craned my neck and looked at the bedside clock. 5:00 A.M. Sophie-Anne followed my gaze and sighed as she got up off of the bed.

"You have to go?" I muttered. I didn't want to sleep, but I like I said, once the sun is rising we don't have a lot of choice.

"I'm sorry, darling, but I do have to get back" She bent down and kissed my lips one last time. "Sleep well, precious one."

After that, the world went black.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: Whoops! Hit the wrong file. Sorry!**_

_**From here on in, everything is full-blown, OOC territory. Purists, take heed! :-)**_

_**Pam--POV**_

We were in deep trouble. Sophie-Anne paid a little extra visit after we got back to the hotel and Eric and I had retired. How do I know? Two reasons: even with the heavy bedroom doors, I heard the unmistakable keening that comes (you should pardon the expression) with female ecstasy, and when I cracked open my door, I was just in time to see Sophie-Anne leaving Rachel's room.

She paused and looked over at me, smiling. "Hello, _Pamela._ I never thought _you_ were a voyeur."

I closed my door.

"I certainly hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!" Sophie-Anne purred. The suite door opened and shut and she was gone. I went back to bed and shook Eric.

"Nggmph?" he rolled over and opened one eye maybe a thirty-second of an inch.

"We have a situation, Eric. Sophie-Anne was here. With Rachel."

"Doing what?" he mumbled groggily.

I smacked him. "What do you _think!?" _

He rubbed a hand across his face, "So?"

"So, we have to get her home and debrief her before she does something stupid like try to move into the palace!"

"I am as concerned as you are, Pamela. But the sun is rising and we're scheduled to fly back tonight. Now let me sleep. There's nothing we can do at this moment."

He was right, of course, but I was still irritated with him. I was even more irked when I came into Rachel's room the next night and found her singing softly to herself as she packed her suitcase.

"Did you have a good time?"

Rachel spun around and stared at me, the color leaping into her cheeks, right on cue. "How--?"

"You're noisy. And I saw her as she was leaving."

"Oh." Rachel swallowed. For a moment, we just looked at each other. Her gaze was nervous; it jumped away from mine. Good.

"Something you should know" I said. I leaned close so my face was only inches from hers. "In terms of sheer ruthlessness" I whispered, "Sophie-Anne makes _me_ look like a Girl Scout. Think of that sometimes."

I turned and left.

Eric returned to the palace early the next night, and I was stuck cooling my heels in the suite. I wasn;t not even allowed to go shopping. Rachel stayed in her room, which was fine with me. I was worried she'd want to talk and I was in NO mood to listen to anything she might have to say.

He got back in an hour. "Well?" I asked.

"I'm to let Rachel make her own decision. After the demonstration of her powers, Sophie-Anne sees the need for her to be trained further, but she is most anxious to put Rachel on her payroll, and I think we both know why. A vampire who can conjure fire and storms is a priceless treasure as a bodyguard."

"And as a killer" I reminded him.

He nodded. "Have you talked to her?"

I shook my head. "I have nothing to say that won't make things worse."

Eric looked at me for several minutes. "Are you jealous?" he asked at last.

I snorted. "Sexually, I am _more_ than equal to Sophie-Anne and you know it, Sheriff."

"It would be understandable, you know. You've had her blood."

"Rachel hasn't drunk _my_ blood."

"Maybe she should."

"Eric" I put the channel changer for the TV down. Springer was over and I was looking for a new show. "What the hell's gotten into you? You sound like you _want_ Rachel and I to--"

"It would be a solution. You know that Sophie-Anne will never leave Hadley. She does not want Rachel as her consort. The sex was purely to sweeten the deal. If you claim her, _really_ claim her...it might jam up the works and buy us some time."

When I didn't respond, Eric leaned forward and took my hand. "Pam, would it be all that bad?"

I thought about it. Rachel annoyed me ninety percent of the time, but most people had that effect on me. I am not and have never been much of a "people person." Sometimes she amused me. (I would never admit it to a single soul, not even Eric, but I had enjoyed the pillow fight). I couldn't deny that she was brave, resourceful. and talented. It _might _be interesting to see what she matured into.

"I don't know" I admitted. "We've spent most of our time fighting except for that last night when you were there."

"What have you been fighting about?" he furrowed his brow as if the idea was an alien one.

"THE FACT THAT SHE'S A ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS!" Rachel yelled from her room.

"Nobody asked _you_!" I shouted back. Eric started to laugh and I pulled away and swatted at him.

"I see this is _my_ fault" he chuckled. "I should have known you'd spend your time taking your vexation with me out on the poor girl. Never mind. You have two weeks. Make the effort."

Rachel's door opened and she came out. "Are y'all done talking? I need to call for some more O negative."

Eric waved her inside. "It does make you hungry."

There went the blush again. "I can see I'm never gonna live this one down. C'mon...what was I _supposed _to do? Say no?!"

Eric grinned. "I never said a word."

"The hell you didn't" Rachel growled as she grabbed the phone. She gave the desk her order and looked over at me. "What about you? You got anything to say? Maybe something about my stupidity? Or would you like to keep it simple and call me a slut?"

"I _don't_ think you're a slut, Rachel." I said patiently. "And you're absolutely right. You couldn't have refused, so it's just as well that you enjoyed it."

She glared at me and hung the phone up, her feathers still ruffled. "I know it wasn't real, okay? I'm not an idiot. I saw that woman she has--Hadley. But just for a while, I got to feel like someone actually _liked _me, that I wasn't just a millstone around y'all's necks, and it felt _great! _Stick _that _in your pipe and smoke it!"

Eric roared with laughter, earning dirty looks from both of us. "See what I have to deal with?" I rolled my eyes.

"What _you_ have to deal with?! What on earth do _you_ have to deal with?! Is one family of poor hicks too much for you?!"

"She's got you there."

"Shut up!" I swatted Eric again.

"At least we have halfway decent _manners_" Rachel went on. "My Mama thinks you're the devil but she still bullied her whole family into treating you like a guest, which is more than _you_ ever would have done."

"_Enough_, Rachel" Eric said in the voice that you never want to argue with. Rachel subsided with an angry huff. "Your anger is understandable, but no fledgling may speak to their guardians in the way you have done. Apologize to Pam."

His tone brooked no argument. "I'm sorry, Pam" Rachel muttered.

"You are very young. You still feel as a human does. We understand this, but the rules of our kind exist for a reason. If you ever speak as you did to our Queen, your death would be neither swift nor painless."

She closed her eyes and nodded. "I know."

"And if you _ever_ speak to my child again in such a way, I will punish you myself. Perhaps the loss of your tongue would teach you a better use for it."

Rachel didn't answer, which was wise of her.

_**Rachel--POV**_

As soon as we got back to Shreveport, I called Sookie. I was desperate to talk to the one friend I had who was part (at least a little bit) of the vampire world. I asked her if she would be willing to meet me at the library during my "lunch"--state law still required the City of Shreveport to give me an hour's worth of breaks. She agreed and I can't tell you how glad I was to see her standing at the desk.

"This is a nice library" Sookie said, smiling. "It's got a lot of stuff but it isn't so huge I'm afraid I'll get lost."

"Thanks. We're pretty proud of it. I'm going on break, Mark" I said to the young vampire assistant I'd recently hired. That was another thing--since the library had hired me, they had received other job applications from vampires. Mark was from Florida and had worked a part-time night shift for years as an associate in the Miami system. He finally decided to leave after a bad breakup with his human companion.

He waved me away and I took Sookie back into my office. "So, what's up?" she asked. "On the phone you sounded like something was wrong."

"It's not _wrong_, exactly. I'm just not sure what to do. Sookie, has Bill ever talked to you about the Queen?"

"The Queen of Louisiana? He's mentioned her, but only in passing."

"She wants me to work for her."

Sookie's brown eyes widened. "Wow. As what?"

"Probably as a bodyguard. She wanted to know about my savvy."

"Uh-huh."

"And Eric says she probably wants me as her own private hit-woman."

"That's not good."

"No. And to cap it all, I slept with her when we were down there."

Sookie stared at me, her mouth dropping open in shock. "You _what_?!"

"We had sex. She asked me and I said yes."

"Dear Lord! What did Pam say?!"

"She said I couldn't have refused, so it was just as well that I had a good time, but she was furious with me. She told me that the queen makes _her_ look like an angel and to think about that sometimes."

"Well" Sookie said slowly "I'm sorry, but I _can_ kind of see her getting mad about you sleeping with someone else. I thought you and Pam had a thing going."

I shook my head. "No. We were kind of edging our way towards being friends. You were right when you said she was mostly pissed off at Eric and just taking it out on me, but now I'm afraid she might hate me. And even though she's been such a snob about my family and having to be around me, I still don't want her to hate me."

"So you haven't been with Pam?"

"No..." I felt my face heat up. I wondered how many centuries it would take for my blush to go away. "I think she might have wanted to, but I didn't want to ruin things. We have to live together for five years, and we've spent most of our time together bickering and I didn't want to spoil what potential we had to really be friends, you know?"

Sookie nodded slowly. "I get it, but I think you underestimated her. Pam's funny that way...she _talks_ like she doesn't give a damn about anything, but she's stayed with Eric for over a hundred years. That's gotta count for something, especially since most vampire fledglings end up leaving their makers. Plus, vampires are possessive people. Whether or not y'all have actually been together, and whether or not she ever admits it out loud, I'll bet you Pam thinks of you as hers."

I groaned. "I've made a hell of a mess, I know, but you can't exactly say no to an absolute monarch. And Sophie-Anne--the queen--has offered to make me independent. She really wants me down there, and Eric and Pam don't, and it's all because of my stupid, goddamn savvy! I hate to say this, but right now I think it would have been better if Galen had just gone ahead and killed me."

Sookie looked worried. "You're not thinking of doing yourself in, are you?"

"No" but even as I refused, an idea began to form in my mind. What if I got injured? Hurt badly enough to keep me out of action for a long time? It would have to look like an accident, of course, but what if...?

Sookie, who never missed a trick, saw the look on my face and turned pale. "Don't do it, Rachel! There's gotta be some other solution! Isn't there _anyone_ you can talk to?"

I thought of Tante Aurelie and Pastor Bob. Pastor and I had chatted on the phone several times since I had been captured in Tennessee. Actually, he listened while I talked about Pam and Eric and my savvy and my training with Tante Aurelie and my fears for Mama and Billy and the rest of my family. He was trying to encourage them to move out of state, to get them out of the Louisiana vampires' reach, but without much success. "Maybe", I said.

"Then talk to them. I wish I was more help, but I honestly don't know what to tell you, other than the faster you get control of your savvy the better."

"Everyone keeps saying that" I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "I'm working on it. I'm trying to practice every day now. I can light candles, but I have trouble with electricity, and I haven't yet been able to make it rain without causing a huge thunderstorm."

"I _thought _the weather was mighty strange lately" She smiled at me and I laughed. In that moment, I loved her. How many humans would be talking to me like this? Just like I was a regular, everyday friend? I hoped Bill knew how lucky he was.

When I next went to Tante Aurelie's, I told her everything except the part where I slept with Sophie-Anne, but I think she knew _something_ had happened because her dark gaze became shrewd when I mentioned that Sophie-Anne seemed to know her.

"Our family" she said "'as always been aware of the Night Ones. Thees Queen of yours, I believe, visited often at my

Grand-mère's _salon_ in New Orleans."

I wanted to ask if she meant Sophie-Anne had a fling with my ancestress but I decided the question wasn't very tasteful.

"Eet ees not surprising that she would want you. Do you wish to join her?"

"I don't know...she says she can make me legally independent, but I don't think I'd have much real freedom. She's a queen, so whoever works for her is at her beck and call 24/7. And with the fire thing, she may send me out to kill her political enemies and I don't know if I could do that--just kill someone because I was ordered to."

Tante Aurelie didn't look shocked or horrified. "'As she drunk from you?"

I looked down at my folded hands. "Yes."

"Mmm. And your guardian? What does she theenk?"

"She doesn't want me to go. Neither does Eric, who's in charge of the vampires in this part of Louisiana. But they want me around for the same reason the queen does, probably."

"_Des vampires_ are always wise to their opportunities. But you are hardly ready to go out and begin using your powers at will."

"The queen has given me two weeks to make up my mind. Eric said she even offered to have you come down to New Orleans with me and continue my training." That had been the biggest surprise of the whole trip, and the biggest proof of how serious Sophie-Anne was.

Tante Aurelie gave a raspy chuckle. "_Mais naturellement_. An untrained _magie_ would hardly be useful." She snapped her fingers in the direction of the fireplace and a blaze sprang up. "What's that for?" I asked curiously. "It isn't cold."

"I know" my aunt said calmly. "But I theenk _you_ are."

There was a rush of warm air and all of a sudden, my crappy Wal-Mart shirt was in flames. I screamed in pain as the fire licked over my skin and raced around the room to the moth-eaten old curtains that exploded in a shower of sparks. Tante Aurelie remained calmly sitting in her chair as I lurched towards her, trying to claw my clothes off. A clap of her hands and rain poured down from the ceiling, dousing me and everything else until the blaze went out.

I was in agony from the pain. My skin had charred and from the smell, I had lost some of my hair. I sank onto the floor, everything going gray around the edges as Tante Aurelie called out, "Paul! _Venez ici! Maintenant!_ Rachel's had an accident."

_**Pam--POV**_

"Boss there's someone here to see you" Dana stuck her head through the office door where Eric and I were going over the books. "Actually, she wants to talk to both of you. It's an old lady." Her green eyes were bright with curiosity, but I wasn't about to stop and explain. There was only one old lady I knew who would have the audacity to present herself at Fangtasia.

Eric followed me as I made my way out into the bar. Dana gestured to the front door. "She's outside. She wouldn't come in."

A black Rolls Royce sat at the curb outside the bar. Customers coming in eyed it with anticipation, probably thinking it belonged to some famous vampire here on a visit. As Eric and I approached, the window glided down and there sat Rachel's Tante Aurelie, dressed in a simple black suit with a diamond pin. "Madame Balletois" I greeted her politely, a sick feeling already beginning in my stomach, "to what do we owe the honor?"

"I need to speak you both" she said. "Ees there a place weethout all zees eenfernal noise?"

"You are both welcome to use my office" Eric said, reaching to open the door for her. She took his hand without hesitation and let him help her out of the car. She really _was_ a tiny thing; her head was only a few inches above Eric's belt buckle.

"_Non._ Paul weel remain 'ere. I trust that ees all right?"

"Perfectly all right. Won't you follow me?"

"You are _le chef des vampires, _are you not? The old woman looked sharply up at Eric.

"I am."

"I am amazed to find you een such a place" she said as she looked disapprovingly around at the fangbangers in their leather and studs, the half-naked dancers on their platforms. I expected Eric to tell her off, but he only shrugged. "Money must be made if one is to survive, Madame. That is true even for us."

The old lady snorted. Eric kept her hand tucked into his arm as he led her back to our offices. He seated her in his own chair. I wondered how in the world she'd gotten him to do that. He pulled up two more chairs and we sat down across from her. "What has happened, Madame?" I asked. I _knew_ something had happened to Rachel. There could be no other reason for someone like Tante Aurelie to ever set foot in a vampire bar.

"There 'as been an accident. My niece Rachelle ees badly burned."

"What happened?" I demanded.

"She was practicing _l'apport de la flamme_. Unfortunately, her abilities weeth fire een their eenfant stages. The blaze got away from 'er and spread to 'er clothes. I managed to put ze fire out, but she ees badly 'urt."

"Where is she now?" Eric asked.

"Een my yard. I know 'zat ze Night Ones must sleep in 'ze earth to heal. I weeshed to inform you myself."

Eric and I looked at each other. Sophie-Anne wouldn't like this new development one little bit, but it looked as if the gods, in their mercy, had granted us the delay we needed.

"Seence you are her guardian, Mademoiselle, I thought I would offer you my 'ome for 'ze time being. 'Zere is no telling when Rachelle will be able to rise again." The old lady regarded us both impassively, seeming not to worry at all that she has just granted me permanent access to her house.

"I'll come, of course. Eric, will you be needing me for anything?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Go."


	29. Chapter 29

_**Pam--POV**_

Paul, Rachel's great-uncle, didn't look too happy when Tante Aurelie ordered him to help me into the car. "Mademoiselle weel be our guest for a time. See to eet 'zat she has everything she needs."

"_Maman_, are you sure that's wise? Once they're invited in--"

"_Nevertheless_, Paul. Comprenez? Ne discutez pas."

_"Très bien. Ne dites pas que je ne vous ai jamais averti, Maman."_ Paul said grimly. "Forgive me, ma'am. We've never had one of you stay with us before."

"It's all right" I smiled at him in the rearview mirror, letting him see my fangs. He snapped his eyes forward and did not speak again.

Tante Aurelie had seated herself in the back with me. As we pulled out of Fangtasia's driveway, she said, "We 'ave much to talk of, you and I. I understand _votre reine_ weeshes to take my niece into 'er service."

"That is correct. She's interested in Rachel's powers."

"As you and _le shérif_ are?

I didn't see the point in lying about it. "Yes."

"And you know, of course, 'zat Rachelle is nowhere near ready."

"Yes."

She smiled. "I ave 'eard ze blood of 'ze Night Ones 'as 'ealing power. Ees eet true?"

I looked at her sharply. "If you don't mind my asking, Madame, how exactly did Rachel get burned?

"'Er clothes were ignited by the blaze, as was most of my _salon. _'Ze fire people say eet weel be long before all 'ze damage ees repaired." Tante Aurelie looked calmly into my eyes. I knew she wasn't telling me the whole truth; witches have a way of telling you things by not telling you things. For a moment, I considered glamouring her, but I was pretty sure I could fill in the blanks without it. She'd set the fire herself.

I asked a single question. "Why?"

The old woman lifted her elegant shoulders. "Eef Rachelle enters 'ze servicie of _la reine_, she would never be allowed to leave 'er side, _oui?_"

"Not unless she did something to lose the queen's favor."

"And your queen can be very persuasive."

_"Very",_ I agreed.

"Would she value Rachelle enough to make every effort to keep 'er alive?"

"Not if it wasn't expedient."

"_Et vous?_ Do you and _le shérif_ feel the same?"

I paused. Madame Aurelie may have been human, but she was no mere blood-sack. An angry witch was a danger to reckon with, especially one as powerful as I sensed she was.

"Eric and I would rather she stayed with us, and our reasons are similar to the queen's, but because we_ know_ her and have taken care of her, we are more aware of the risks involved in pushing her too fast." I thought a moment, trying to phrase my thoughts in a way she would understand. "Rachel is a new vampire, and I don't just mean in years. She was made _after_ we revealed ourselves. The old laws and codes were created when we had to be secret, by vampires that come from very distant periods in time. That is why the system is still a feudal one. The young ones don't understand this. They hang on to their humanity; they see no conflict in being both a human and one who preys on humans, as long as they kill within their own code of ethics. Do you understand so far, Madame?"

"Of course."

"Those of us who are older know that vampires are a _higher _order of being than humans. We see no point in hanging on to our human emotions and considerations. The idea is ludicrous when humans are our food. And the older a vampire gets, the more the ability to feel atrophies anyway. Our queen is over a thousand years old...she will have little patience with Rachel." I didn't mention that_ I_ hadn't been very patient with her, either.

"And when 'er servants displease 'er?"

"They are punished. Often with permanent consequences."

Tante Aurelie nodded. "It may surprise you to learn 'zat I know your queen a little. She visited my Grand-mère's salon often when I was a girl. We Balletois 'ave always found it wise to be on good terms weeth 'ze Night Ones, seence 'zere are so many een New Orleans. I met Madame Leclerq--as she called 'erself then--when I was sixteen."

Something about the way she said it made me wish I'd been a fly on the wall when it happened. I waited, but no juicier revelations came. "Had Rachelle been raised as a Balletois, as I weeshed, she would be more equal to this situation, but 'er fool of a fazzer married a common, ignorant girl purely to spite me. As a result, Rachelle's powers 'ave not matured weeth 'er. Zey are uneven, erratic. Eet ees _extrêmement dangereux."_

"I know."

"Mademoiselle, do you 'ave any personal regard for my niece? You are 'er guardian."

"A little. I know her, and that makes me feel more for her than I would for someone who was a stranger. But you must understand, Madame, that I have never felt the need to take a fledgling myself. And I am old enough that the emotional bonds that humans value are a dim memory at best."

"Our queen", I added. "Definitely seems to be attracted to Rachel, but right now that's part and parcel of her getting what she wants."

"Ah. _Et vous?_"

I hesitated, carefully weighing my answer. I wasn't sure how much Tante Aurelie knew about what happened between Rachel and Sophie-Anne, but I was fairly certain that our queen would not have denied herself at least a sip of Rachel's blood. And that meant she knew how sweet it was, how warm, how spiced with magical power. Any vampire who tasted it would want more.

"Yes."

'Zen it seems to me 'zat you and _la reine_ are equally matched. "

"Hardly. She can command Eric to hand Rachel over to her. If she does, there's nothing either of us can do."

Tante Aurelie was silent. We drove through Shreveport and finally pulled up at the house. Paul helped his mother out of the car, then went around the back for my bags. I had packed a set of blackout shields along with my clothes. In the yard, I could smell newly-turned earth. Rachel was there under the ground. I could sense her presence as a dim pulse of pain. It was idiotic, ridiculous, but for a minute I wanted to dig her up and see how bad the damage was.

"Has anyone told her mother?" I asked.

"Paul 'as spoken weeth Balletois. He will tell 'zere parents."  
_  
That means we can probably expect Elsie Dupree to arrive within a few days_, I thought. _Can't wait._


	30. Chapter 30

_**Pam--POV**_

As it turned out, Rachel's parents and brother arrived not an hour after we got to the house. For once, Rachel's mother wasn't yelling. Pale and trembling, she held her husband's hand while he did the talking.

"How did this happen and tell me the truth."

_"_In my house, you weel speak to me weeth respect, Guillame."

"In _your_ house, my little girl got burnt up!" Rachel's father pointed his finger at Tante Aurelie. "What did you do to her?"

"I eensured 'er safety." Tante Aurelie looked at me, her white eyebrows raised. As briefly as I could, I explained what had happened in New Orleans and about Rachel's magic.

"You had no right. No right at all." Mr. Dupree hardly seemed to have registered what I said. His stony, enfuriated gaze was still riveted on the tiny old woman in her chair. "You know how we feel about all that. Those so-called 'gifts' never do anything but cause misery and make it so we all have to live under your thumb. Wasn't my son enough?!"

Billy, who had arrived with his parents, moved restlessly in his chair, but did not speak.

"She will heal, Mr. Dupree" I pointed out. "She won't even scar."

_"You!"_ he said with contempt. "What good are _you?!_ Where the hell were _you_ when this happened?! You're supposed to protect her, but this is the second time she's almost died on your watch! Seems to me that if she _does_ survive, she'd do better to take this queen of yours' offer and never see you again."

"If she joins our queen, the odds are good that she will die inside the year" I said coldly. "Her Majesty will demand unquestioning obedience and loyalty, and if Rachel fails in her duties, the consequences will be serious."

"So what do we do now?" asked Billy.

"We wait for her to rise, and Eric and I will try to convince Her Majesty that Rachel will be unfit for work until she gains full control of her powers."

"My baby. My poor baby..." Elsie murmured. "All she ever wanted was a normal, Christian life."

"Normal!" Aurelie spat. "_Vous vache ignorante!_ Eef she had been trained to use 'er powers when she was _un enfant, _she would be a match for _des vampires_ or anyone else!"

"Now everyone just hold it right there" Billy raised his hand. "No good's gonna come of it if we fight among ourselves. I agree that all we can do right now is wait, but I also agree with my daddy." He looked right at me. "Why _weren't_ you there?" he asked, sounding so disappointed that I actually did feel a tiny twinge of shame.

"I was at my job, and Rachel has worked often with Madame Aurelie before this without anything bad happening to her. What _I_ don't understand is that she's a grown woman, and all of you treat her like a child! If she is ever to survive as a vampire--never mind the fact that she's also a witch--you must let her _grow up._"

"How is it any different from you and Eric?" Billy demanded. "It's not like _y'all_ were letting her live her own life."

"It's different because _we're_ not living in a democracy" I saidwith a bitter smile. "We obey the power structure, or we are punished. If we want to "live our own lives", as you say, we only can do it two ways: either we do as we're told and don't cause trouble, or we gain our own power by killing our rivals. In our world, you are either a force to be reckoned with or you don't exist at all."

_**From the personal correspondence of H.M. Sophie-Anne, Queen of all Clans of the Undead in Louisiana.**_

_October 29th, 2008_

_Mrs. Aurelie Balletois Dupree_

_104 Oak Ave._

_Shreveport , LA 71111_

_H.M. Sophie-Anne Leclerq_

_Queen of Louisiana_

_1313 Fontainbleu Court_

_New Orleans , LA 70125_

_Dear Madame,_

_It is with great regret that I must inform you that my niece, Rachel Dupree, has been badly burned in a fire that began as she was practicing her magic at my home. I understand from her guardian, Mademoiselle Richardson, that you desire Rachel to come and work for you in New Orleans . Due to her injuries, this cannot be for some time. She is resting in the earth and we are not sure when she will rise again. I apologize for the inconvenience to your Majesty, and trust in your patience and understanding. __Sincerely,_

_Aurelie Balletois Dupree_

**October 30th, 2008**

**H.M. Sophie-Anne Leclerq**

**1313 Fontainbleu Court**

**New Orleans , LA 70125**

**Mrs. Aurelie Balletois Dupree**

**104 Oak Ave.**

**Shreveport , LA 71111**

**We convey our greetings to Madame Dupree. How long has it been since we last met? Fifty years? Sixty? We see you have lost none of your perspicacity. Fortunately, vampires take very little time to heal. We look forward to your niece's immanent recovery, and her future arrival in New Orleans.**

**Vestri in Pacis,**

**Sophie-Anne Leclerq**

_November 3rd, 2008_

_Mrs. Aurelie Balletois Dupree_

_104 Oak Ave._

_Shreveport , LA 71111_

_H.M. Sophie-Anne Leclerq_

_1313 Fontainbleu Court_

_New Orleans , LA 70125_

_Madame,_

_Your Majesty's generosity is truly touching. And how wonderful that you remember me after so many years! We met at the home of my grandmother, Victoire-Adelaide Balletois, in 1929. I was sixteen years old and had just made my entrée into society. After that first meeting, I often had the pleasure of Your Majesty's company and conversation. _

_You ask how the accident occurred. My niece was attempting to light my fireplace using __souffle de flamme__._

_I don't know how much you know of her history, Madame. Did Mademoiselle Richardson and Monsieur le Shérif not tell you that Rachel's mother forbade me contact with her until recently? That she did everything she could to stunt my niece's magical development and even, when Rachel was a child, attempted to have her exorcised? The result has been that Rachel's powers are extremely erratic. Mademoiselle Richardson told me she caused a number of tornados on her visit to you. She is nowhere near ready for your service. _

_So I am here to offer you mine, if that is agreeable to you. Age has not dimmed my abilities. I am willing to guess that I might be a match for whatever you have in mind, at least until Rachel becomes competent. _

_If you find my proposal acceptable, Madame, please let me know, _

_Vôtre dans la paix, _

_Aurelie Balletois Dupree._

**Mrs. Aurelie Balletois Dupree**

**104 Oak Ave.**

**Shreveport , LA 71111**

**Nikos Cataliades**

**1313 Fontainbleu Ct.**

**Suite 105**

**New Orleans , LA 70125**

**Madame Dupree,**

**Her Majesty Queen Sophie-Anne of Louisiana requests the pleasure of your company as soon as it is convenient.**

**Sincerely,**

**Nikos Cataliades (gen sec.)**

_Nikos Cataliades_

_1313 Fontainbleu Ct._

_Suite 105_

_New Orleans , LA 70125_

_Mrs. Aurelie Balletois Dupree_

_104 Oak Ave._

_Shreveport , LA 71111_

_Monsieur Cataliades,_

_You may look forward to my arrival in New Orleans on November 7th. Flight details are enclosed. Please convey my deepest appreciation to Her Majesty for her largesse and patience in this matter._

_Aurelie Balletois-Dupree_

_**Rachel—POV**_

I have no idea how long I slept. I just know that when I clawed my way out of the earth, the moon had grown full from the slim crescent I remembered last. I awoke feeling the weight of the soil on top of me, pressing into my eyes and nose. It frightened me so badly I forgot I didn't _have_ to breathe. When my head cleared the surface, there was Pam, pulling on my arms to get me the rest of the way out. I was too weak to stand, and ravenous. Pam sat on the ground and pulled me into her lap. "Feed" she said. Her hand slipped under my hair to the back of my skull. It was the second time another vampire had to feed me.

She stiffened only a little when my fangs went into her neck. Her blood was rich and pungent. When Eric had fed me last, I had been too hungry to notice much about how it tasted, and I hadn't been allowed to drink from Sophie-Anne, but Pam's flavor was positively addictive. I felt us both grow warm with the feeding and I slipped my arms around her. When I was satisfied, she didn't release me; we just sat there for a while.

"Are you okay?" I whispered. I was worried I might have taken too much from her. I also noticed that I didn't have a shirt on. It must have burned off completely.

"Nothing that a little True Blood won't cure."

"You could have some of mine." I felt no qualms about offering. After all, it was only fair.

"I had better not" Gently, she pushed me away and helped me to stand. "Our queen won't be pleased if she tastes another on you, should she decide she wants you again. You can explain that the feeding was necessary, but not me drinking from you."

It was becoming more and more clear that I had made a pretty big mistake by sleeping with Sophie-Anne. Uncomfortably, I crossed my arms over my bare chest. "You're sending me to her, then?"

"If she wants you in New Orleans , there's not much either Eric or I can do about it."

"And does she?"

"That will depend on your Aunt Aurelie. She's down there now."

"Oh my God!"

"She offered her services to our queen in the hopes that you might not have to give yours. Eric went with her."

I shivered with terror. "How long has she been gone?"

"She just left tonight" Pam put her arm around my shoulders. "Come on. Let's get you inside."

The house seemed utterly empty. "Paul went too?"

"Yes. And you've been put on notice at work. I explained the situation as best I could, but I don't think your director believed me. She thinks you're taking advantage of your new condition."

"Shit." Even though I might not be staying long anyway, I still didn't want to lose my job.

"It's not that big a deal. All you have to do is glamour her."

I shook my head, but didn't argue. It was dishonest and unfair, but I needed to be employable. Who knew _what_ was going to happen in the next few years?

"I owe you an apology."

I looked at Pam, surprised.

"Eric was right. I haven't treated you well. I've blamed you for things that aren't your fault." She grabbed a T-shirt off the kitchen table and tossed it to me. She must have had it laid out and waiting already.

After I covered up, Pam helped me into a chair and began getting bottles of True-Blood out of the fridge. Since Tante Aurelie didn't have a microwave, she also got out a small saucepan. "It's all right, Pam" I said to her back.

"No, it isn't. Our queen can smell loneliness a mile away. She wouldn't have offered herself to you if she hadn't thought that would give her an extra edge."

I thought about it, not sure if I should be insulted or not. I decided on not. After all, it wasn't like Sophie-Anne didn't have a live-in lover already. "Hadley", I muttered.

"Hadley has no say in anything the queen does, anymore than we do. She's in favor right now, but who knows how long that will last?"

"She's probably gonna want to kill me"

"Probably" Pam agreed with bone-chilling nonchalance. "But as long as she stays human, you're more than a match for her. You only have to worry if the queen decides she wants her companionship permanently."

Pam took the pan of True Blood off the stove and poured it into two coffee cups. She brought the cups to the kitchen table and sat down, handing me one. "I'm sorry, too" I said. "I'm sorry I ran off. I just thought you were going to kill me. If you'd handed me over to Tonya, I would have been dead. I just thought you were trying to get rid of me."

Pam sighed and propped her elbows on the kitchen table as she cradled her cup, an endearing, human touch. "It wasn't the best thing to have said, I suppose, but you were standing there and _arguing_ with me."

"I wanted to kill her myself."

Pam smiled faintly. "Maybe there's hope for you yet."

"Maybe."

We drank our synthetic blood in silence. Pam watched me, and her eyes actually looked a little sad. "It's hard." she said after a while. "Hard to deal with all the changes. I remember my first kill. I was very upset."

"Really? What did Eric say?"

"That it does no good to hang onto the human side of our natures. It only causes more pain than you dream possible."

"Did that help?"

"Not much." I smiled. So did Pam.

"Eventually you find—or _I've_ found, anyway—that human life is nearly always the same sets of gray little problems and issues. As the centuries roll by, humans start to all seem the same."

"Do you feel that way about Sookie?" I asked curiously.

Pam paused a moment. "No…" she said finally. "But Sookie is no ordinary human. Neither is your Tante. And neither were you."

"Oh, I don't know" I shrugged. "I led a pretty tame life. I became a librarian purely because I liked peace and quiet. I never had many friends. Even now I spend more time reading than doing anything else. I mostly just wanted to read my books, take my little walks in the afternoons, earn my little paychecks, and have some fun along the way. I wasn't exactly bound for adventure."

"What you wanted and what life had in store were likely to be different. Even if Galen hadn't turned you, I doubt that someone with abilities like yours _can_ lead a quiet life. There may have come a day when one of your library patrons angered you so much you burned the place down by accident."

"That's true". Before my change, I had largely worked in the Children's area. I liked the little ones, but the teenagers drove me nuts, and the staffing shortage meant I had to work in their area a lot.

"Pam?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you and Eric want to keep me here? If I go down to New Orleans and work for Sophie-Anne, she'll make me independent. I'll be off your backs forever. Is it just because _you _want to have personal control over my savvy?"

Pam stared into her cup for a minute, then she looked at me. "I won't lie to you" she said quietly. "At this point, the only thing I _can_ give you is honesty. Yes, we want your savvy. A vampire-witch is a priceless treasure, and once you actually do become independent, you can write your own ticket. Any clan or kingdom would be glad to have you."

I ignored the stab of unhappiness in my gut. Honesty was worth a lot more than my finer feelings.

_"But"_ Pam went on, "if you become part of the queen's entourage, you will _never_ be made independent, even after the five years are up. She might dangle that carrot, but she won't _enable_ you to leave...the more chains around you the better. You will have to do what she says, _when_ she says, without arguing or voicing your opinion--something you don't seem to be very good at--or you will be punished in ways that have the potential to damage you for life. On the other hand, Eric and I know you, and while we do not tolerate disobedience, you will probably be assigned to guard Sookie rather than burn up one of the queen's enemies. We don't think you're ready for that yet."

"Would you miss me?" A stupid question, but one I wanted the answer to.

Pam chuckled a little. "Maybe. You seem to have the gift for making me feel things I don't ordinarily feel."

"I do?"

She shrugged, still smiling. "I'm not usually attracted to my own kind. It's too much of a scorpion dance, being with another vampire."

_That_ brought all kinds of images into my head. _Jesus, when I refused her it seemed like such a _good _idea...nice to know being a vampire doesn't stop you from being an idiot._

"What about Eric?" I asked.

"What about him?"

"Do you love him?"

Pam cocked her head as she thought about that. I waited. Finally, she replied, "Yes. But we've been together a very long time. Long enough that the need to _own _each other is gone. He's free to take whatever lovers he chooses, as long as they're good enough for him."

_Sookie._ She didn't say it, but I knew. I reached out and took her hand. "Thank you" I said seriously, "for being honest."

"You're welcome."


	31. Chapter 31

_**Aurelie--POV**_

It is quite something to walk in on one of the lovers of your youth and see that they haven't changed even though you have.

Sophie-Anne Leclerq, _La Reine de la Nuit Ceux en Louisiane_, looked no different than she had when we first met all those years ago. The same russet hair and eyes, the same slightly crooked smile, the same unlined, pure white skin. My own niece looked older than she did. And I? I have all the deterioration of over eighty years, except in my legs, in my mind, and in my power. For a witch, the Crone years are the often the most powerful of all.

She rose as I entered her salon, came to me, and kissed both my cheeks. "Aurelie! How lovely to see you again after all this time."

"You're looking well. I wish I could say the same for myself."

She laughed the laugh I remembered so well--like silvery chimes. "Ah, but remembered I offered this to you once, and you refused."

"That's true. There is a toll on every road through life."

She led me to a chair opposite hers and signaled for her two guards to withdraw themselves. "I must say, I found your proposal most interesting. What makes you think I had anything specific in mind?"

"Experience." I looked her in the eye and she laughed again. "Your niece is quite delectable you know."

If she expected me to flinch, she was going to be disappointed. "She is young. And new."

"I haven't tasted blood like hers in a score of years. Not since you."

I inclined my head at the compliment. "She is a Balletois. It is most unfortunate that her childhood circumstances have made it so she must re-learn the most elementary of things."

"I understand you've been training her."

"_Oui. _She is a hard worker, but the repression she suffered has made the progress slow. I could light a small blaze with ease by the time I was ten."

"Your younger sister died soon after that, did she not?"

I couldn't help but wince a little at that. Sophie-Anne's face was perfectly blank, but the fact that she'd brought it up just might mean she was beginning to consider. "Yes. At that time, I was proud that I could summon fire at such a young age. I was showing off. My Maman never forgave me."

It was true. It was why I had been sent to live with my Grand-mère. And if I had not, Sophie-Anne and I would never have met.

I have a very good memory despite my age, and I have never forgotten my first sight of her. The soiree Grand-mère held in my honor began at 8:00, with dinner, and Sophie-Anne arrived at midnight, her gleaming white form barely covered by a silver-white beaded dress, her red hair as short as a boy's. People's eyes widened in shock, disapproval, or (in the case of the men), plain old-fashioned lust. I had never seen anyone like her in my life. I had on one of the drop-waisted dresses popular at the time, but mine had little sleeves and Grand-mère had absolutely forbidden me to bob my hair that short. Shoulder-length was all I was allowed to get away with. I expected Grand-mère to throw her out at once, but instead, she kissed Sophie-Anne and welcomed her warmly. "Come and meet my _ma petite-fille. _Aurelie? _Cher_, come here."

"Aurelie, this is Sophie-Anne. She is a _very_ old, _very_ dear friend of mine."

I held out my hand. "Pleased to meet you, Madame."

"Aurelie" I remembered her soft, pretty voice with its hint of accent. "What a lovely girl you've become! I'm sure you don't remember, but I saw you last when you were just a little thing...your parents were visiting here for Christmas, I believe."

She was right; I didn't remember. And I was pretty sure I _would_ have, becauseI didn't see how anyone could forget someone like her. My doubt must have shown on my face, because she threw back her head and laughed. "I saw you for no more than a moment before I had to leave."

"Now, Sophie-Anne, you know why that had to be" Grand-mère laughed, too and something jumped between them, some spark that I picked up on, even as young and ignorant as I was. "Why did you have to leave, Madame?"I asked boldly.

Sophie-Anne smiled wickedly and opened her mouth. Fangs popped down from her top teeth, pearly-white and sharp as needles. I heard myself gasp and was mortified. At sixteen I thought I was very sophisticated indeed. I knew all kinds of supernatural creatures existed. I knew the Night Ones existed, but I never thought I'd meet one face to face!_ "Vous êtes un de la nuit ceux"_, I whispered.

"_Mais oui, petit cher. Je suis la reine toute la nuit de ceux en Louisiane._"

"Don't stare, Aurelie" my grandmother smiled, but there was a subtle warning behind it. I didn't know what I should do with this amazing revelation, so I dropped the curtsey the nuns at school had taught me.

"Now, now, no need for that." Sophie-Anne neatly retracted her fangs. "As your Grand-mère says, we are old and dear friends, so I think we can dispense with protocol just this once."

And that was the beginning. She was my first lover. My first love. Looking at her now, I wondered if she was thinking back as well.

She leaned back in her chair. "Rachel's gifts are very rare and very valuable. There is not a vampire king or queen in this country--or even the world--who would not want her under their rule. Why should I be any different? I would take better care of her than most."

"I believe you" I said. I did, too. "But you _must_ know that her whole way of living, her whole mindset, is not like that of a fledgling made before you decided to reveal yourselves. Young people today have cut their teeth on the idea that _any _authority amounts to fascism, and they don't keep quiet about it,either. And I'm sure I would be correct in assuming that the vampire methods for enforcing obedience are still the same as they were when I was young."

"So here you are" Sophie-Anne said with her crooked smile. "Here to save the lamb from the slaughterhouse. It's noble of you."

I shrugged. "I would be a poor teacher indeed if I allowed her to endanger herself and perhaps other innocent people as well. What do you want done?"

"Your niece is _already_ mine, you know. Every vampire in my queendom is mine and your little niece..." she spoke slowly and distinctly, savoring the words "...has been _mine_ in every sense of the word."

"Is that supposed to shock me_?_" It was my turn to laugh. "Really, Sophie-Anne, I would expect your memory to be a little better than that. And answer me this: do youreally need to deal with the Witches' Council right now?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You're prepared to take it that far?"

"I hope I won't have to."

We appraised each other for a moment. Finally, she said. "I'll tell you what. Are you willing to gamble?"

"Gamble?"

"We play a game. If you win, then your niece gets all the time she needs to come up to speed. If _I_ win, then she comes down here _immédiatement, que dites-vous?_"

Inwardly, I was amused, although I was careful to let nothing show. Cards and dice...Sophie-Anne's great weaknesses. It's odd how someone so powerful can be so predictable.

"Very well" I said. "For old times' sake."

_**Rachel--POV**_

I did end up using the mojo on my boss. I just gave her a little push--she knew I'd been gone, but not that I was supposed to be in trouble for it. I think the library board had been riding her about having a vampire in charge of the night shift anyway.

I was glad to get back to work. Even the teenagers and bomb threats (we had gotten a couple of those) were better than sitting at home and waiting for some word from Tante Aurelie.

Paul finally called us on a Saturday night. Pam was home and she went with me to the house. When we arrived. Tante Aurelie was sitting up in bed wearing a quilted bed jacket (I had no idea they still made those things.) She had had two chairs brought into the room for us to sit on; she looked very drawn. I had the horrible feeling Sophie-Anne had taken her blood on top of any other bargain they'd made.

"Well?" Pam asked before I could.

"I 'ave bought us the time we need. Rachelle, you weel need to work very hard. I was unable to persuade the queen to reveal the exact service she wants from you--"

I pointed my finger at Pam. "_Don't_ say it."

"I wasn't going to say _anything_" she drawled with what could only be described as a leer.

"--_but_ she has agreed that you will not come to her until you are fully trained and ready."

"Thank you, Tante" I said softly. "When do you want me here?"

"_Demain_. I don't know if she intends to _keep_ the agreement. I was also unable to pin her down to a real oath."

Pam nodded, looking disappointed but not surprised.

"So you must continue and work 'arder zan you 'ave in your life...and be comforted by 'ze idea 'zat _la différence _weel ensure 'zat none of _des vampires_ weel want to keel you eef 'zey can avoid it. Capture, _oui. Mais pour ne pas tuer._" To Pam, she said, "Eef you are unable to do so yourself, you weel want to see 'zat she is well-guarded."

"When you're not at the library, you'll stay at the club where I can keep an eye on you." Pam informed me. I didn't argue. I was starting to get seriously freaked out. The lamps next to Tante Aurelie's bed began to flicker. She took my hand in her small, papery one and smiled. "Do not be frightened, _petit._ I 'ave every confidence een you."

"I wish _I_ did" I muttered. Tante Aurelie gave my hand a pinch. "Never, _mais jamais_, speak in doubt. Doubt is 'ze destroyer of magic."


	32. Chapter 32

_**Rachel--POV**_

"_Saint tirer , à vous Je chante_

_Saint tirer , à vous Je chante_

_Permettre moi-même brûlure sans brûlant_

_Mon sang c'est tirer , mon âme c'est tirer_

_Permettre moi-même danser dans les coeur de votre flamme!_

_Saint tirer , à vous Je chante_

_Saint tirer , à vous Je chante!"_

I walked in slow circles, singing, never taking my eyes off the fire. It felt like I'd been singing the same thing for hours. Tante Aurelie sat at a garden table nearby and Pam had taken a position by the garden hose, which I would have found pretty funny if I wasn't trying to concentrate so hard. My voice rose and fell as it droned, and was it my imagination, or were the flames _bending towards_ me as I moved around?

"_Bon. _Now call it to you."

I raised my hands over my head, feeling the energy of the fire and of my own savvy rising to meet it. There was a soft _whump_ as flame bloomed from the ends of my fingers. I aimed at a pile of unlit wood set a little further away and released. Fire streaked through the air and the wood smoldered and charred. In my mind's ear, I could hear soft, whispery little voices. They sounded so familiar, even though I couldn't make out what they were saying. Here and there were little giggles. Nothing evil in the sound--just pure unbridled glee.

"Do you feel 'ze change?"

"Yeah" I gazed at my hands; I felt like I had never really seen them before. "Still a little nauseous, though."

"'Zat weel pass as you grow stronger. Again, please."

I aimed at the wood again and released as I blew out my breath. More flame shot from my fingertips. I couldn't believe how natural it seemed.

"Now 'ze water. Incantation first."

This chant was in Latin. I didn't know the meaning of all the words yet, but I knew the _feeling_ of them. I sang in a gentle, thrumming rhythm, and a small cloud formed over the smoking wood. Rain fell, hissing and fizzing as it went. I was getting better and better with every passing day. Tante Aurelie was pleased with my progress and Pam simply watched the whole process with interest. She came with me on every visit now.

"Good...good. Much better. Soon, we will work on summoning the winds."

"Okay."

"Come and seet" she gestured to the table. Pam and I seated ourselves. "'Ow are you feeling, Rachelle?"

"Okay."

My aunt cocked her head, her black eyes narrowing. "'Zat tells me nozzing. You seem calmer. 'Appier, even. Are you?"

I thought about it. "Yeah...yeah, I am." I knew what she meant. I did feel calmer and happier in the strangest way, like I'd been holding my breath and was finally allowed to let it out. And things somehow seemed turned up a notch: colors looked brighter, sounds were sharper, and I had a lot more energy than I usually did. My metabolism had gone from reptile to mammal at last. I found myself waking up right at twilight, sometimes even when there was still a line of sun in the west. I even woke up before Pam sometimes, and it amused me to see that she was definitely _not_ at her best in the early evenings. She would get up, go down to the kitchen for some True Blood, and consume it in complete silence while staring at the wall. Then she would put the bottle down and continue to stare at the wall for at least thirty more minutes. She didn't even blink! It was creepy. The one time I spoke to her, she tuned her empty eyes on me and stared until I had to leave the kitchen, I was so freaked out.

Tante Aurelie nodded. "Eet ees what 'appens when you stop blocking your power. You are coming along very well…much better than I ever would 'ave 'oped."

"Thanks." I said sarcastically.

"_Façons,_ Rachelle" she raised an eyebrow.

"_Je suis désolé" _I said, still miffed. Pam had, for reasons I would never understand, taken it upon herself to improve my non-existent French. Tante Aurelie looked taken aback for a moment, then she chuckled and darted at look at my inscrutable guardian. _"Je comprends que je vous ai à remercier de ceci, Mademoiselle. Je suis le plus reconnaissant que vous seriez disposé à entreprendre une telle tâche difficile."_

"What the _what_-what?" I asked. Pam and Tante Aurelie both laughed. "She's thanking me for undertaking such a difficult task", Pam explained.

"Hey! I'm not a moron! I know _s'il vous plait_, _merci beaucoup_, and _Servez-vous le_ True Blood _ici?_

That just made them laugh harder. "I hate you both" I grumbled.

"Any news?" Tante Aurelie asked Pam.

Pam shook her head. "There's been some distraction...something going on in Arkansas. We've had no summons."

Tante Aurelie nodded. "Will you excuse us, Mademoiselle? I weesh to speak privately weeth my niece."

Pam rose and walked to a far corner of the garden. A high humming, like feedback, surrounded us as Tante Aurelie cast her circle. Looking though it made Pam look indistinct, like I was seeing her through heat haze.

"Rachelle, what I have to tell ees only for you to 'ear. Eet ees true 'zat 'ze queen was unwilling to reveal to me exactly what she wants from you, but I want you to make me a promees, _oui_?"

_"Oui"_, I said.

"Whatever eet ees, eet weel likely involve someone's death. Eef you are fortunate, you weel be in a position to ask for a favor--promees me you weel ask for land. For territory of your own."

I stared at her. Tante Aurelie put her tiny, withered hand on top of mine. I could feel the blood pulsing through the veins on it, and was surprised at the strength. Her power. _Our_ power. "Promees me 'zis".

"But Tante!" I prostested. "Where would I go?! And what about my family?!"

Tante Aurelie leaned close and gazed into my eyes. "Look for a place weeth leetle or no population. Someplace too far to be of interest to 'ze Night Ones. Theenk and you weel know where. 'Eet ees no good, in 'zeir world, to be a landless knight."

"But what good would it do? It's not like I'd be a real sheriff or anything. Not if the area didn't have a lot of vampires in it."

"Whoever controls 'ze land, controls 'ze commerce. Whoever controls commerce, controls 'ze wealth. Not all wealthy areas are full of people--human or not."

I felt my eyes widen. I knew at once what she meant. And _where_. "They have a ruler!" I whispered, glancing at Pam who appeared to be examining Uncle Paul's rosebushes. I knew she couldn't hear, but the idea was such a mind-boggling one that I just couldn't speak any louder than that.

Tante Aurelie shrugged. "Much may 'appen."

"What the hell are you up to?!"

"'Ze trouble with many of 'zees areas 'zat are isolated, with few humans, ees 'zat 'ze supernatural ones cannot be united. Each leader 'as a private agenda." Tante Aurelie waved her hand and the circle went down. "I would appreciate 'zis information, eef 'ze library can provde eet."

"Of course" I said, keeping my face blank and my tone even. Go to the library. See what you can find, she was saying.

I got busy the very next night. Information on supernatural communities, vampire ones in particular, has flooded the web since vamps decided to "come out of the coffin." A lot of it was bogus, but there are legitimate things to look for, and every state government web site has a section on supernatural residency now. While Mark was busy re-shelving some books, I logged onto the Alaska state web site.

According to the state government, Alaska was primarly controlled by weres. That made sense; most vampires wouldn't relish having to figure out some way to stay out of the 24/7 sun during the summers. There were small vamp communities at Ketchikan and Sitka, and larger ones at Anchorage and Juneau. The vampire king was someone named Rolf McGrath. His main claim to fame (in the eyes of the AK government, at least) was that he was matching Alaska's PDF plan (where they pay incoming residents a dividend to live there) for vampires who wished to re-locate. I looked up more information on him on Google. Several bloggers complained he was the mere tool of the were leaders. That made sense, too. It always sucks to be a minority. A few others said that he'd gotten his kingdom because he had managed to piss someone off high up in the American vamp power structure and they wanted him out of the way. It sounded perfect for someone like me, who wanted to _be_ out of the way.

I sincerely hoped Tante Aurelie wasn't planning to put a hit out on him or something. The main way someone becomes king or queen of a vampire territory is by violent coup. I wondered what Sophie-Anne had actually said to her. I asked, of course, but she wouldn't tell me. "Eet was spoken een confidence,Rachelle. I weel not betray 'zat trust."

I had no idea if Sophie-Anne knew Rolf or not. I also had no idea what Tante Aurelie was _doing_ for her. She had told me, eventually, that she had offered herself to the queen's service in exchange for me, and while Sophie-Anne had not completely accepted the bargain, Tante Aurelie _was_ kind of on-call for her. She wouldn't say any more than that.

It was looking more and more like I would eventually end up in New Orleans. My "accident" had bought us some time, but unless something momentous happened, ultimately I would have to give Sophie-Anne an answer.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Sophie-Anne POV**_

They've arrived at last, the three of them stand between my guards: Rachel, Aurelie, and Pam. Pam, I can see, is none too pleased to be here, but the other two seem resigned. I greet all three of them warmly. "Did you have a good flight?"

They answer in the affirmative. Hadley, newly made, smirks at Rachel. I give her a warning look out of the corner of my eye.

Rachel, wise girl, has no doubt heeded her aunt's advice. She has no real reason to refuse me. It's interesting to see Pam tagging along, though. On Northman's orders perhaps? We'll see.

"Hadley will show you to your rooms" I say. I feel her stiffen beside me, but she does not protest. My dearest one knows how far she may test the limits of my patience. She merely says, "This way" and leads them out.

She returns alone and stands before me, arms crossed. "So you got what you wanted."

"Of course."

Her lips tremble and she clamps them tightly together. I walk to her and cup her soft cheek. "There is nothing to fear" I tell her gently. I can feel her struggling to hang on, to hold in her anxiety and anger. I am sorry. It pains me deeply to have caused this hurt, but it had to be done. I repeat it aloud, "It had to be done."

"Because she's a witch" Hadley says, still not looking at me.

"Yes" I say, stroking my fingers over her skin. "We need her._ I_ need her."

"To negotiate some treaty in Arkansas. That's why you fucked her."

I wince at her bitterness, but I really cannot blame her. "Would you rather I had lied to you?"

Hadley shakes her head, but her eyes are too bright. I draw her close. _"There is nothing to fear"_ I repeat.

My love, my child buries her face against my shoulder. "I wish I could believe it" is all she says.

_**Pam POV**_

Our luck finally ran out. Rachel, having no other reason to refuse, resigned a second time from her library job and called Sophie-Anne to accept the position in her household. Sophie-Anne, in turn, agreed that Aurelie would accompany her to New Orleans.

"I want to go too" I told Eric. He gave me a startled look, but didn't argue. "If our queen will allow it, you may go. Just don't be surprised if she orders you away."

Sophie-Anne didn't. She didn't even seem very surprised to see me when I arrived with Rachel and Aurelie. I noticed that her human pet was no longer human. I daresay it was a consolation prize for Sophie-Anne's little fling with Rachel. The pet smirked at Rachel as we came into the Blue Room, but Rachel merely looked back at her.

The pet led us to our rooms. Aurelie had one to herself, but Rachel and I were apparently supposed to share. "You two are in here" the pet said, still with that little smirk.

"Thanks" Rachel said offhandedly as she dumped her suitcase on the bed and began unpacking her clothes.

"Bitch!" I muttered as soon as the door shut behind the pet. Rachel laughed. "C'mon...it won't be _that_ bad. I don't even snore."

"It's not that...I just hate newbies." I sighed and went to investigate the armoire to see if there were enough hangers. You do not fold what I like to wear.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you hate newbies?"

"They're a royal pain. The minute their fangs come in they think they're just the _shit_" I explained. "They don't _know _anything, they haven't _seen _anything, but they're ready to get in anyone's face, and the ones who are made by powerful vamps like Sophie-Anne are the worst, because you can't correct _them_. Only their makers can pull up on their leashes, and most of the time, they're too damn stupid with love to do it."

"Stupid with love..." Rachel said thoughtfully. "You think love is stupid? You told me you love Eric."

I snorted. "I said stupid with love, not 'love is stupid'." Satisfied with the hanger-count, I began putting my things away. I could feel Rachel's eyes on me as she waited for me to elucidate. I chose not to.

"_I _wasn't like that", she said.

"Like what?" Did I or did I not pack my pink Manolo's?

"I never thought I was the shit."

"You're an orphan" I said impatiently. "It's not the same. If someone like Sophie-Anne had come to you when you were still human, and courted you, and let you know that they had chosen _you_ above all others to be their companion for eternity, how do you think you'd react?"

"I'd be pretty damn flattered."

"Exactly" Aha! Here are my Manolos. I had stuffed them into the outer pocket of my suitcase.

"Was it like that for you?"

"Rachel" I put my shoes on the bed and stared at her. "Why are you suddenly so interested in my love life?"

I expected her to blush and she didn't disappoint me, but she didn't flinch, either. "I just wondered. Sookie says you've been with Eric for over a hundred years. You've told me yourself you love him. And yet you have got to be one of the most cynical and jaded people I've ever met."

I shrugged. "Remember what I told you. After a hundred years, humans all start to seem the same. After one hundred and one, so do vampires."

"Did Eric court you?" Rachel idly folded the sleeve of a T-shirt back and forth.

"Of course. It wasn't chivalrous--he was made in the wrong time for that--but it was courtship as he understood it."

"And that was?"

"He fucked me senseless."

Rachel burst out laughing and shook her head. "Not surprising."

I smiled a little at the memory. "No. I met him at some ball or other...I forget now exactly what the circumstances were, but I remember how I reacted to him. The English nobility were a milkfed lot; I'd never met anyone like Eric before in my whole life...all desire and absolutely fearless about it."

"You liked that."

"Yes. People wondered why I hadn't married; I had a lot of offers. I wondered, too. My family had enough money that I could pick and choose, but something always held me back. I just knew that if I married, I would be trapped. I would never be able to breathe freely again. Eric gave me my freedom. I knew, even before I knew what he was, that with him I would never have to be less than myself."

That made her smile, more to herself than at me. It was odd. Somehow, I couldn't remember having seen Rachel smile like that before. She didn't say anything else, though. She merely began stuffing things into drawers. "Did you leave me any hangers?" she asked over her shoulder.

"A few."

She stuck her head into the armoire. "Three. Thanks a lot."

"What do you need them for? You hardly ever wear anything but jeans."

"Ah, but thanks to you, I have things other than jeans now." She flapped one of the silk shirts at me. "Oh well. Maybe I can borrow some from Tante Aurelie."

I shook my head. For the flight down she had put on black jeans, combat boots, sleeveless T-shirt, and a black jacket, like she was Eric's clone or something. It was both annoying and disturbing. "You look like a grade-B action movie."

"I thought I might as well look the part" she said, shrugging.

I snorted. "You're about as threatening as marshmallow fluff" I said. I _didn't_ say that she also looked extremely cute, and that her cuteness was adding to my annoyance.

"So far, only you and Tante Aurelie know that. Besides, your outfit doesn't reflect who _you_ are, either. Who in the hell ever heard of a vampire wearing pink angora?! It's creepy."

"Exactly" I said, smiling with just a hint of fang. "Be a love and see if you can find my charm bracelet, will you? It should be in my small bag."

"You have got to be kidding me" Rachel muttered as she began pawing through my jewelry. Actually, the bracelet has only one charm: a gold heart that Eric had made for me years ago. A heart that has little veins and arteries coming out of it and looks like the real thing. It was one of our little jokes.

"EW!"

"Find it?" I asked, smiling.

"This is wrong on so many levels."

"Isn't it, though?" I fastened it around my wrist. I always wear it when I need extra luck. "Change your clothes, Rachel. You never visit royalty in an outfit like that."

"Eric does."

"Do I need to _remind_ you that you aren't Eric? Take them off. They're making you delusional."

"Is that an order?"

"Yes, it is."

"_Fine."_ Rachel stomped to the armoire and pulled out a skirt and top. I indulged myself with a long perusal as she changed her clothes. Dear God. She had on the famous Goofy underpants. "Tell me those aren't what I think they are."

"They're buttocks, Pam."

In some moments, even the most stupid things will hit you just right. Rachel paused in pulling up her pants to observe my inexplicable fit of hysterics. "Did I just make you laugh?"

"Shut up and finish getting dressed" I gasped as I tipped my head back and put my hands over my eyes. I would have to redo my makeup.

Rachel did as I said, watching me out of the corner of her eye. "Does the word 'buttocks' always set you off like that?"

"No."

"Does the _sight_ of them do it then? Do I have a particularly amusing ass?"

"It's your underwear" I said.

"Ah, so you like Goofy! I would never have guessed it in a million years." And with that, the girl actually dropped trou and gave me another look at Goofy's ridiculous face! All I could think about was Goofy's laugh from the movies. _H-hyuk! _I reached out and smacked her. Hard.

"Ow! What was_ that_ for?!"

"For the _last time_, get dressed and behave yourself."

"_You're_ the one who isn't behaving" Rachel smirked evilly and rubbed her backside before she pulled her trousers back up and fastened them.

A tap sounded on the door that connected our room to Aurelie's. Before either Rachel or I could tell her to come in, she was in the room, looking composed and wearing a chic dark blue dress. For someone over eighty, she certainly _did_ have style, not to mention superb posture.

"'Ave you both settled een?" she asked. "One of _Madame la Reine's_ servants was just 'ere to tell me she wants to see us as soon as we were unpacked."

I worked on wiping the blood tears from around my eyes with a tissue. "Give me five minutes."

"Are you all right, Mademoiselle?"

"Fine." I answered. "Just peachy."


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long. I've had writer's block for the longest time, trying to figure out what should happen to Rachel next. I'm not giving away any secrets, but things should move along more quickly now! ****J****Maumauka**

**Rachel--POV**

Once I had gotten dressed (and silenced the nagging voice in my head that asked me what the hell I was doing mooning Pam), we returned to the blue room. Sophie-Anne was seated in a rose-colored chair. Hadley stood behind her. She gestured the three of us to a sofa opposite her.

"Your first job with me will be to accompany me to Arkansas. The King of Arkansas and I are meeting to discuss how the 'resources of our two territories might best be combined'." Sophie-Anne's tone was drenched in irony. You could hear the quotation marks in her voice. "For a demonstration of his power, he will bring his best muscle to the table. I will do the same. Have your skills with fire improved since the last time we met, Rachel? I understood from your aunt that you were badly burned."

"Yeah, I was. But once I got well I went right back to work on them. If your fireplace has wood in it, I'll demonstrate."

Sophie-Anne pointed to the fireplace, which was set up with a couple of large logs. I was able to light them from across the room, and it looked pretty impressive. Even though it's much easier to light a fire when you are near the material to be burned, lighting it from across the room was a quite an attention-getter. Sophie-Anne's smile practically blinded me as my line of flame streaked past her, while Hadley's eyes bugged and the nasty smirk left her face.

"That's wonderful! And how about regular combat?"

"Rachelle's learning ees steel in 'ze beginning stages, as I told your Majesty" Tante Aurelie replied. "'Zat ees what caused me to make my offer to you. Eef you need 'zat kind of 'elp, you weel need someone weeth experience."

I bit my tongue to keep from saying the first thing that came into my head. Tante Aurelie was in her _eighties, _and while I had no doubt of her power, I feared what the strain of combat magic would do to her. She had already begun teaching me basic hexes, but she had warned me that we needed to take it slowly; fighting magically takes enormous focus and is a terrific drain on the body. I could do little things like momentary paralysis, and things that caused minor cuts to the skin, but nothing lethal. Even the small things exhausted me.

"Is this guy—the King of Arkansas—trying to take you over or something?" I asked. Sophie-Anne gave a bitter laugh. "Yes. But right now he wants to do it diplomatically rather than by force. It could mean some kind of political treaty, but it could also mean he might try to assassinate me discreetly. That is what I need you for, Rachel. You and Sookie Stackhouse, if Bill can get her to agree to help me."

"Ah." Pam said very softly.

"Yes, Pamela? Did you have a question?" Sophie-Anne's tone was perfectly pleasant, but I sensed the warning underneath.

"None, your Majesty" Pam's tone was equally bland. Sophie-Anne gazed at her for a moment, and then seemed to let it go. "I have other bodyguards, of course--men who provide the brute physical strength, but you, Rachel, will be my _secret_ weapon."

Hadley looked like she was grinding her teeth. No doubt she was wondering if I would be Sophie-Anne's secret something else, as well. And since she was a vampire now, Hadley had the potential to give me a major headache. I decided right then and there that if I could confuse her, create some doubt in her mind, it would be a good thing. I deliberately laid my hand on Pam's knee. To Pam's credit, she didn't flinch when I did it; she even covered my hand with her own. "Okay" I said, looking Sophie-Anne straight in the eye. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"The King will bring along a vampire called Jade Flower. She's one of his best guards. She's absolutely vicious and everyone knows it, which is why he always brings her along during negotiations. I'll bring three guards of my own, but she knows not to challenge _them._ She'll probably zero in on you because you're new. When she does, do not take the bait until she actually calls you out. _Then _you can unveil yourself. You need to defeat her."

"Uh-huh. What kinds of weapons does she use?" I tried to sound confident, but I was envisioning some sort of _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_ thing. Maybe I needed to invest in some Ninja throwing stars.

"Swords, mostly, but she's not bad with just her hands and feet."

"Guns?"

"I don't think so. She'd consider it beneath her."

I reckoned I could handle anything but a bullet. Even with my transformation, I doubted that my reflexes would be _that _good.

"Aurelie, you need to be the most secret weapon of all. I don't want them to even notice you unless the situation becomes extreme."

My aunt nodded but did not reply. I wondered how she planned to stay hidden as a human in a crowd of vampires.

"You will be my eyes and ears" Sophie-Anne went on. "I need to know what his followers are thinking. There may be a few alliances we can shift."

"Of course, Madame."

"And me?" Pam asked. She gently rubbed her thumb over my knuckles and smiled at Sophie-Anne. I felt my pulse pick up, half in fear. I had no idea if Sophie-Anne would want me intimately again or not. I knew I was running a risk in acting like Pam and I had gotten together in her absence. But her rather bitter smile wasn't directed at me.

"I see no reason why you shouldn't continue in your present…_capacity_."

Pam laughed softly. "Your Majesty is most generous. I truly appreciate it."

Sophie-Anne gave a deliberate little shrug. "Just keep out of the way during the negotiations. I assume Eric will want a report. You may give it to him, but only_ after_ we return. Understood?"

"Of course."

Sophie-Anne spent the rest of the time talking to my aunt, explaining what she wanted done. I expected Pam to let go of my hand, or at least quit stroking it so much, but she didn't. It made me feel odd. I had the uneasy feeling she was going to take full advantage of my little ruse.


	35. Chapter 35

**PAM—POV**

I could scarcely keep from laughing out loud as I pressed Rachel's hand firmly against my knee. She'd been trying to discreetly pull it away for the last ten minutes as the queen outlined the plans for Arkansas . Tante Aurelie raised an eyebrow at me but I kept my innocent smile in place.

"Is there some sort of problem, Rachel?" Sophie-Anne asked impatiently.

"No…no, there isn't" Rachel's hand went perfectly still as she struggled to be casual. "When do we leave?"

"In a couple of days, so I wouldn't unpack too much. Until then, you are welcome to enjoy the house, but I expect you to keep working with your aunt."

"Yes, Sophie-Anne."

She waved her hand. "You may go. I need to speak privately to you, Aurelie."

"But of course. Rachelle, come to my rooms een an hour or two."

"Okay…_oui_."

We were dismissed. Once the door to the Blue Room closed behind us I let go of Rachel's hand, but before the look of relief had finished dawning on her face, I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Uh, Pam? We're out of the room now. You don't have to—"

"I _want_ to." I laughed as I pulled her closer. "Oh darlin' _this_ should teach you not to make such a big boo-boo."

She groaned, "_Why?_ I'm not even thin!"

_That_ only made me laugh harder. "So what? You're here, aren't you? And I've been waiting for this for a while now." I bent my head to rub my cheek against her hair. "After all, if I _have_ to come all the way down here just to babysit you, and make sure you don't get us all killed, I should have _some_ compensation, don't you agree?"

Rachel made a strangling noise, which I took to be agreement.

"And you'll _have_ to keep it up, you know" I purred as I kissed the top of her head. "Sophie-Anne will never ask for you again; she would never take _anyone's_ sloppy seconds. And if she finds out it wasn't real, she'll be furious and_ believe_ me honey, you _don't_ want that."

The queen's pet appeared at the far end of the hall, giving me a perfect excuse to push Rachel against the nearest wall.

"Well_, you_ didn't waste much time, did you?" the pet sneered at Rachel.

"Don't answer!" I whispered against Rachel's lips. "I'll handle this." Raising my voice, I drawled, "Run away, darlin'. I'm busy."

"I can see that."

The pet may have seen that, but she sure as hell wasn't moving. Maybe she wanted to see more. Deliberately, I pulled one of Rachel's legs over my hip. The pet snorted with disgust. "Do you have to do that _here_?"

"I have a fetish for silk wallpaper."

"Don't know what you see in her, anyway. She's a whore."

"Honey, I'm only going to ask this _once_" I sighed as I released Rachel and turned around. "Does your maker know that you have _terrible_ manners?"

The pet took a step back. "What about yours? It's just plain trashy to make out in the hallway of someone's house!"

"I'll be _sure _to mention to her Majesty that you think so" I smiled so that the little bitch would catch both meanings in my words. She and Sophie-Anne had probably fucked on every rug and piece of furniture in the place. The pet roller her eyes but she left us, which was wise of her. I didn't really want to have to damage Sophie-Anne's personal property.

Rachel let out a long breath and leaned her face against my neck. "Thank you."

"Anytime. Now, where were we?"


	36. Chapter 36

_**RACHEL—POV**_

"You 'ave rouge all over your mouth."

I wiped the back of my hand across my lips. Tante Aurelie made a disgusted sound and handed me some tissues. "I take eet 'zat you and Mademoiselle Richardson 'ave come to _un arrangement_?" she asked as I cleaned my face.

"You could say that."

There were fresh punctures on my neck and most of my upper chest. Down in no-man's land, I was burning up. Pam was a sadist! Once she had managed to drag me back to the room, she had spent her time biting and kissing me until I was half-crazy, then she stopped. Just like that. "Now that you're good and_ warmed up_", she said with the most evil smile I'd ever seen in my life, "I think I'll go enjoy the pool while you go talk to your auntie."

And then she just got up and walked away! I couldn't believe it! I lay there on the bed with my shirt pushed up and my pants around my ankles wondering how in the hell I was supposed to move and cursing Pam with every labored breath. I had the distinct feeling I was being punished for having put her off for so long. I was able to relieve myself somewhat (God gives you two hands for a reason), but it wasn't nearly enough. I wondered what other forms Pam's revenge might take, and it scared me that I was actually _looking forward_ to some of the possibilities.

Tante Aurelie cocked her head to one side and gave me a shrewd look. "I theenk a leetle _nourriture_ might be wise."

She picked up her bedside phone and put in ordered True Blood for me and a croissant and coffee for herself. "I'm sorry, Tante Aurelie" I said.

"_Pourquoi?_ You 'ave done nothing wrong." She looked at me again. "I am only surprised eet deed not 'appen sooner."

I sighed and shook my head. "I didn't want to. I thought it would make things too complicated."

Tante Aurelie's brows shot up. "And Mademoiselle allowed you to refuse?"

"Yes. She wasn't happy about it, but she did."

"And 'zen 'ze Queen. _Ma pauvre petit cher, _your life ees _already_ complicated."

"_Ma vie folle", _I said.

Gently, Tante Aurelie took my hands in hers. "Rachelle, I 'ave a feeling 'zat Mademoiselle cares more for you 'zan she would admit. After all, she obtained _le shérif's_ permission to accompany you here when she deed not 'ave to."

"She's probably spying for Eric."

"Of course. But 'ze ozzer ees true, too."

I wasn't sure at all about that. And I really didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Are we gonna practice or what?"


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Lemons aplenty! Enjoy!**

**RACHEL—POV**

I joined Pam at the pool. She lay on a chaise wearing sunglasses over her eyes and a bright turquoise bikini patterned with hot pink flamingos. Sophie-Anne was nowhere to be seen. Next to Pam's chaise knelt a young man wearing a banana hammock with bite marks on his neck.

She raised her glasses as I approached and gave me a lazy smile. "Practice go all right?"

"Yes. You're an evil bitch."

She laughed her velvety laugh and gestured toward the young man. "Have an hors d'oeuvre. They're absolutely fabulous."

"No thanks. I'm not thirsty."

The young man actually pouted. "I am told I am especially _délicieux_", he said in an accent as refined as Tante Aurelie's.

"I'm sure you are" I reassured him.

"They have girls, you know." Pam ran her fingers through his hair and he closed his eyes in ecstasy.

"Yeah, no. I'm going to try and stick to my diet."

Pam lowered her shades back over her eyes. "Never mind, Andre. _I_ think you're just scrumptious."

"_Merci, Madame."_

I walked to the end of the pool and dove in. It was long and narrow, but fairly deep. I swam laps, hoping the exercise would help me to focus. I was exhausted from practicing. Tante Aurelie was teaching me out of books now, because the spells were too dangerous to do on real people, but they wore me out just the same and left me feeling spacey and disconnected. Pam's little game earlier hadn't helped.

I swam my laps underwater. When I surfaced, Andre was gone and Pam was watching me, her sunglasses perched on top of her head.

"What?"

"I had hoped you'd get over being squeamish by now. About feeding from humans."

"I'm not squeamish, exactly" I leaned my elbows on the edge of the pool and kicked my feet to stay afloat. "It's more like I have a hard time doing it if they're total strangers. A bite seems like an intimate thing to me."

Pam shrugged. "That goes away too, after a while. But feeding can be an excellent bonding activity."

I blinked at her.

"Even I can't stay in bed every night. And feeding is my second favorite thing to do."

I thought about it. "Maybe. As long as I don't have to kill anyone."

She snickered. "You're going to have to do it at least once, Rachel."

"But it doesn't have to be tonight."

"And it's not like the snacks here_ mind_ or anything. It's a great honor for them."

"Whoopee!" I snorted. "They get to be a vampire's cocktail weenie. That's something to be proud of, all right."

Pam laughed. "More like a vintage wine. It would humiliate Sophie-Anne to have any donors that were less than exquisite in looks, in conversation, and in flavor."

"You didn't appear to be enjoying his _conversation_."

"Jealous, are we?"

"No."

"Liar."

"I am not jealous!"

"Sure, you're not." Pam smiled and extended her fangs. I ducked under the water and started to swim again so I wouldn't think about the last thing those fangs had done to me.

**Pam—POV**

I watched Rachel until I got bored and decided to join her. She popped up sputtering as I dove in and watched me with surprise all over her face. "I had no idea you could swim."

"I can swim. I just don't like getting my hair wet." Truer word was never spoken. But I was having too much fun to worry about sticky hair at the moment. Rachel had dived for cover the instant my fangs came out. I had left her in quite a state earlier that evening, and no doubt she was afraid of a repeat performance. But she would just have to face that fear. She was mine now. If vampire skin didn't heal so quickly, her shoulders and neck would be covered with my marks. For a moment, I regretted that she wasn't human.

Rachel had begun to swim again, and I kept up with her easily. I swam sidestroke so I would be looking at her at all times. She swam underwater for a while and surfaced again, turning on her own side and pacing herself to me, her kick fluid and graceful. When we got to the shallow end, I wasn't about to let her get away. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down into the water as she tried to climb out. "Oh no, honey. You're not going anywhere."

She didn't reply. I kissed her, and felt like laughing again when her arms slid around my neck. "What a little hypocrite you are" I teased her lower lip with the tips of my fangs. "You pretend so hard that you don't want it, that you don't want me."

"I never said I didn't…" she whispered back as her hands knotted into my hair. "…I just thought it was a bad idea. "I _still_ think it's a bad idea."

"Really?" I let my hand slide between her legs and cursed the fact that Rachel was wearing a one-piece swimsuit. "Stop me, then."

She laughed, a wild and desperate sound that rapidly turned into a moan as I caressed her. Her hips were already moving against my hand and her eyes had gone from merely brown to deep amber. _Keep looking like that, pretty girl, and you won't be getting rid of me for the rest of your life._

"_Evil…"_ was all she said as she began to shudder against me. She came with a smothered cry, biting her lip until her mouth was beaded with blood and I could taste some of its sweetness. I gave her the deepest kiss, my fangs puncturing her tongue, and her mouth was full of blood-her wonderful, spicy, addictive blood!

I would have her. I would taste_ all_ of her sweetness.

I lifted my head; her teeth were scarlet and little rivulets of blood dripped from the corners of her china-doll lips. "You have no _idea_" I growled happily as I licked it away. "And you're going to be the sole beneficiary, at least for a while. Lucky, you!"

For what I had in mind, more discretion was definitely in order. I carried her from the water and back to our room.


	38. Chapter 38

_**Rachel—POV**_

I'm in one of those strange little bubbles of lucidity that sometimes comes in the middle of complete overload. I am standing with my hands tied above my head and I can't see through the blindfold around my eyes. My body is sore from repeated puncture wounds and down in no-man's land, I'm a mixture of fire and flood. Her mouth draws everything from me there: blood, pleasure, agony, tears, and the excruciating waves of climax. I've been condemned to a hell where physical ecstasy can break the mind. It passes all human limits, and maybe all vampire limits, too.

Her lips are cool against my belly and breasts as she rises. She feeds me the blood from her mouth, jerking my head back by the hair, and it really IS like chocolate: equally dark, equally rich, and only semi-sweet. I taste her hunger and need, as well as her loneliness and fear. In her blood, I taste all the things she's hidden from me, and I wonder what secret flavors are in mine.

She pulls on the wrist bonds, forcing me to stand on tiptoe then I'm lifted up against her as something cool and hard slides into me. She's planned well for this moment. All I can do is scream, it feels so good. Her fangs again pierce my neck and I can feel tears running under the black silk of the blindfold, making it stick to my face. I'm aching to do some biting of my own, but that's why she tied my hands.. And if I fight her, she will stop. She told me so.

Her tongue, warm now from the blood, laps at the tears on my cheeks. "Come for me" she whispers, "And I'll let you down."

It's a test. She knows it will take all my will to form an articulate sentence. I wriggle against her as she thrusts whatever she has into me and all I can manage is are what sound like zoo noises.

"Come for me…"

"M-m-"

"Say it."

"_Make_...me... come, Pam."

And suddenly, my hands are free and the bed is soft under my back and I'm holding her tighter than I ever held anyone in my life as she presses my head against her throat and there's blood, a river of her blood that puts me over, my hips slamming up into hers, my voice nothing but an animal snarl. She's not quiet either, but I'm too far gone to care.

_You're mine, Rachel. _

She doesn't say it aloud, but I hear it just the same.

_**Pam-POV**_

If Eric were here, he would surely laugh himself to death. If he saw me still awake just before dawn, holding Rachel in my arms, if he heard some of the thoughts running through my head, he'd piss himself. Then he'd act like a smug bastard for the rest of the year.

I will say this, though: if this is how he feels about Sookie, then God help the both of them.

I have never, ever met a human that I couldn't live without. Humans are _for_ us, the way bread's for butter. I never understood other vampires when they turned this human or that one. Sex with humans is fun. Feeding on them is even more fun, but who wants one hanging around for eternity? If I'm starting to understand _that_, then I am in deep shit indeed.

Rachel zonked out an hour ago. She's too young yet to have the kind of stamina that only centuries can give. I can't stop looking at her and wondering why she gets to me. She's not the most gorgeous woman I ever met; she's intelligent but not scintillating, brave enough but too fond of peace and quiet to be exciting, and she has the family from hell. Surely I'm not so shallow that it's just because she fucks like a tiger-but maybe I am. After all, that's what drew me to _Eric _in the first place. And I've been frustrated for months; Rachel's little interlude with Sophie-Anne was just the icing on the cake.

I brush some of the tangled hair away from her face. There is still some faint bruising around her mouth. I look at it and while lust is definitely there in my mind, some alien part of me wants to kiss it and make it better.

_Is it supposed to be an even trade? I take your body so you take my mind? After all, it can't be my heart. I don't have one. _

_Uh-huh, then who the hell _is _this that feels like she's going to die if anything happens to you? And who would tear the throat out of anyone who harmed you? It can't be Pam Richardson. Pam Richardson doesn't feel. Pam is a vampire. A predator. A devil with a fair face._

There is a fleck of blood at the corner of Rachel's eye. Tear-blood. And the sight of it nearly undoes me.

I don't know who I am anymore, but I do know this: she is mine. And nobody hurts what's mine. Including me.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Rachel—POV**_

Jade Flower is every bit as scary as Sophie-Anne said she would be. In fact, the more I gaze back into her unblinking obsidian eyes, the more she reminds me of the shark in _Jaws._

I'm standing behind Sophie-Anne's chair, flanked by two of her other guards—enormous Saxons who barely speak English but whose size and demeanor does all the talking they need. Another guard sits next to Sophie-Anne at the table. Hadley has been left behind in New Orleans and Pam is somewhere behind me, standing with Tante Aurelie in the throng that fills the conference room.

I am not all that impressed with Peter Threadgill, King of Arkansas. He seems like such a stringy little guy. Skinny, sandy hair, even freckles, but his suit is an Armani. If I didn't know by now not to go by anyone's appearance, I'd be wondering how someone like him got to be king in the first place. He and Sophie-Anne have been talking for hours and in all honesty, I haven't been paying too much attention to what they've said. I've just been staring back at Jade Flower, determined not to cower in her presence.

Threadgill's nasal, twangy voice grabs my attention "…this about you having a witch in your ranks?"

Sophie-Anne does not flinch. "She's a recent acquisition."

"That her?" he points at me.

"Yes. Rachel, meet Peter Threadgill, King of Arkansas."

I bow, since I'm not wearing a dress. "Your Majesty."

"How long have you been with Sophie-Anne, girl?"

I'm not sure if I should tell him that I'd only been in her palace a few days before we came here. I count back to when we met and she offered me a job. "A little over a month, sir."

Jade Flower makes a disgusted noise.

I keep my face expressionless. I can feel the giant Saxons, Sigebert and Wybert, tense beside me.

"Would you care to demonstrate your powers?" I look at Sophie-Anne, who merely laughs softly and says, "Surely Peter, if you already know about her, then you already know what powers she has." She does not seem very surprised to hear that someone in her household is a spy.

"I've only been told of her arrival, thus far. I thought she might be why you were in such a hurry for us to meet. How about it, young lady? Care to show me what you've got?" He raises an eyebrow at me and his gray eyes are so cold and laser-like I hastily revise my opinion that he's a dweeb. Sophie-Anne nods slightly.

I focus on his heavy gold watch, which he had taken off almost as soon as he'd sat down. I lift it slowly, making it turn in the air, before I set it down and look for something heavier. One of the twins will do.

Wybert lets out a roar as he suddenly finds himself dangling from the ceiling. A few of the Arkansas vamps start muttering among themselves. Jade Flower is still scornful. "Only an illusion, Master. She's playing with our minds."

I set Wybert down gently. He goggles at me and actually leans away like he's afraid my next move will be to turn him into a frog. Sophie-Anne nods slightly at me. I focus next on Jade Flower, calling a cool breeze to come and ruffle her raggedly black hair. She scowls. "Your mind-games do not fool me, bitch."

I only smile. Coiling my savvy deep into the pit of my stomach, I point my finger straight up. A jet of flame shoots towards the crystal chandelier, and several of the Arkansas vamps jump back in alarm. The twins look pretty popeyed themselves; I guess Sophie-Anne didn't tell them about me. Jade Flower continues to scowl, but there's a new wariness in her gaze.

Threadgill nods slowly. He seems to be making up his mind about something. "Sophie-Anne, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this. I really don't want to fight with you. After all, how long have we known each other?"

"_Too_ long" Sophie-Anne smiles flirtatiously.

"And a war between our Kingdoms has the potential to be disastrous...to us both."

"Yes."

"So I decided there was only one solution. Jennifer?" He snaps his fingers and another female vamp hands him a small, velvet box. I already know what's in it; I just have no idea what Sophie-Anne's going to say.

"Goodness!" Sophie-Anne's smile widens as she holds the bracelet up and examines it. "You _do _have lovely taste, Peter. A girl could get used to this."

"Is that a yes?"

"Well, I don't know...it's very sudden, don't you think?"

He shrugs. "Perhaps. But you cannot deny it might be the best for _all_ concerned." He's smiling again and oh God, why do I have a bad feeling about this?

At another snap of his fingers, the door to the conference room opens, and there they are: Mama, Daddy, and BIlly. All of them are terrified, and all of them are being held by burly, vampiric goons. "RACHEL!" Mama yells as soon as she sees me. "THEY CAME AND GOT US AT THE HOUSE! THEY SAY THEY'RE GONNA KILL US IF YOU DON'T COOPERATE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RACHEL, HELP US!"

I feel sick, like someone plunged a knife in my belly. Behind me, I can sense Pam looking at me, prepared to haul me back into line if I make a move in my family's direction. Tante Aurelie is silent. I don't think Mama knows she's there; she's wearing a pretty strong glamour that lets her be seen without being actually noticed.

"So, how about it, Sophie-Anne? This girl of yours is indeed a treasure-an asset to _any_ kingdom. If you don't feel you can accept my proposal, you _could _just turn her over to me. I _might_ accept her as tribute."

Mama's started to cry. Her captor tightens his arm around her neck until she's choked silent. My father is pale and I can see his mouth trembling. Billy's expression kills me most of all. His eyes are full of both love and pity as well as fear.

"Peter" Sophie-Anne says softly, laying a hand on his arm. "Was all of this really necessary? You know the position I'm in. You know my hold on my throne only lasts as long as the money does."

"Yes or no, Sophie-Anne. Either you accept me, or you turn over the girl to me, or I gut these breathers right here."

"What makes you think I care about them?" the cold indifference in her voice sickens me even more. I wish to God that was able to feel surprise at her words, shock, but I've already been in the vampire world long enough to know just how much the life of a human means to one of them.

"She's your lover, isn't she? I _know_ you, Sophie-Anne. You were always weak that way, spoiling your favorites out of all reason. You would care because they are her family."

Sophie-Anne thows her head back and laughs again, the silvery sound ringing through my head like a spike. "We were together for _one _night, Peter. And a rather insipid night, at that. I'm afraid you've done a prize kidnapping job for no reason. I'll be delighted to marry you. It will solve my problems very nicely."

He snorts, but he's smiling now that he's won his point. Without turning his head, he says, "Turn them over to Her Majesty's guards." My parents are given to the twins while the guard next to Sophie-Anne has Billy.

"Now. little witch, let's see how tough you _really_ are."

This, apparently, has been the moment Jade Flower has been waiting for. She's over the table in minutes, her sword drawn. I don't doubt for a minute that it's solid silver except for the handle. I focus on her hands, forcing the muscles to go into spasm, forcing her fingers to snarl until she drops the weapon with a curse. She's not defeated yet, though, not by a long shot. The next thing I know her foot slams into my thigh and I hear the bone snap. The pain is hellish! I drop to the floor and roll before she can stomp on my neck or spine.

"Get up and fight!" Another kick breaks two of my ribs. I have to shift my focus to raising myself up on my good leg, and only by jumping straight up do I keep my head clear of her hands. I manange to land upright, and when she lunges again, I grab her shoulders and throw her sideways, but it only unbalances her for a moment and she's on me again. I can't focus for shit with the pain and the sheer _speed_ of everything. I see her ragged hair flying around her face and it gives me an idea.

Jade Flower screams and backs away from me, clawing at her head as her hair bursts into flame. "Call her off" I croak. "Or I'll burn the rest of her."

But something strange seems to be happening to the King of Arkansas. His head has snapped back and his eyes are rolled up so far only the whites are showing. A little blood oozes from their corners. The Arkansas vamps are staring, including the now-charred Jade Flower who is slapping out the last of the flames.

"VAMPIRE KING OF ARKANSAS, YOUR ATTACK IS UNPROVOKED." A voice as deep and sonorous as the tolling of a bell seems to fill the room. "YOU OWE RESTITUTION TO LOUISIANA, OR YOU WILL PAY THE PENALTY. WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE?"

"Restitution!" the King gasps as blood begins to pour out of his nose. "Please, let me go!"

"YOU WILL MARRY THE QUEEN, AS AGREED. YOU WILL BE HER LOYAL CONSORT."

:"_Yes!_ Please...!"

The room is gradually getting lighter, filling with a white radience that makes everyone squint.

"IF YOU BREAK YOUR OATH, YOUR LIFE IS FORFEIT. FOR THIS INSULT, YOUR LIFE IS ALREADY FORFIET, UNLESS THE QUEEN IN HER MERCY CHOOSES TO SPARE YOU. YOU HAVE ALSO HARMED ONE OF OUR OWN. HENCEFORTH, NO DOOR OF OURS WILL BE OPEN TO YOU. YOU ARE OUR DECLARED ENEMY."

Theadgill gags, splattering blood and goo on the papers on the table. Sophie-Anne pushes her chair back, looking alarmed. The white light is getting stronger and it seems to be moving. "RACHEL BALLETOIS DUPREE, HIS FATE IS IN YOUR HANDS."

I look at him and then at Sophie-Anne. "Release him" I tell it. "He has harmed me, but his quarrel is not truly with me."

The white light flashes so brightly that I can't see, and then it's gone and Peter Threadgill lies gasping on the table. Mama, Daddy, and Billy are standing absolutely still with their mouths open.

It's pandemonium. The Arkansas contingent clusters around their fallen King while the twins and other guards surround Sophie-Anne, reading to fight in case this turns into all-out war. I manage to limp over to where the other guards are, but all of them just bunch in tighter around Sophie-Anne and stare at me.

"Rachel!" It's Pam's voice. I look and see her kneeling next to the frail, sprawled form of my Tante Aurelie.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Pam—POV**_

Tante Aurelie lived only a few days after the Arkansas conference. Rachel never left the hospital, not even to say goodbye to her family when Sophie-Anne flew them back to Louisiana. They wanted to stay, of course, and make sure Rachel would be all right, but I managed to reassure them. Rachel would call, I said, and visit as soon as the Queen gave her leave.

Sophie-Anne surprised me; she came to the hospital personally and she and Tante Aurelie spoke for several minutes in private. When she came out of Tante Aurelie's room, she knelt in front of Rachel and took her hands. "My dear…I am so sorry." There was genuine grief in her eyes and voice.

Rachel nodded. "Yeah", she said roughly. "So am I."

"I know the responsibility I bear. Is there anything I can do for you now?"

Rachel looked at her for several minutes without replying. "Safety for my family", she said at last. "That's what I want. I don't want any of them harmed ever again."

Sophie-Anne nodded. "Of course…but to ensure that, they cannot remain in my kingdom."

"I know. You need to contact our pastor, John Robert Hennessey. He'll know where to take them. I have his number."

"All right. Is there anything else?" _Two_ favors from Sophie-Anne? It was all I could do to keep my jaw from falling open. What exactly, I wondered, had Tante Aurelie been to her?

"Yes. My independence. Documented and the documentation given into my hands within twenty-four hours." Rachel's gaze never left Sophie-Anne's face.

Now it was our queen who was silent. "Do I have your word" she said slowly, "that you will not leave my house?"

"I promise you that I won't leave. Not as long as you need me."

"Very well."

Sophie-Anne stood. So did Rachel and I. "Thank you, Sophie-Anne", Rachel said quietly.

The Queen embraced her, which didn't make me too happy. "Take good care of her, Pamela" was all she said to me before she left.

**Rachel—POV**

"Rachelle?"

Tante Aurelie's voice was so faint that only Pam and I heard. I went immediately to the side of the bed. _"Oui, ma Tante?"_

She gave me a crooked smile and her fingers pressed softly against mine. "No need for 'zat now. We weel speak Eenglish, so you may understand." She was so tiny and withered, her back eyes so tired. I almost choked up right there, looking at her.

"I 'ave not long. Before I left my 'ome, I told your Oncle I wanted certain changes made to my will."

"You stop that" I said firmly. "You're not going to die. You're going to get well and piss on all of our graves."

Tante Aurelie gave a scratchy chuckle. "Once, I ad 'oped so! Now, eet ees not to be, and I must plan. I weesh for you and your brozzer to 'ave 'ze majority of my estate. Paul and Leanne weel 'ave ze 'ouse and enough to make 'zem comfortable, but 'ze next generation must be provided for. You and Guillame weel be 'ze executors. 'Ze money weel be 'eld in a trust for those in 'ze family weeth _la difference_. 'Zat ees to be your task, Rachelle. When I die, _you_ are La Balletois."

I couldn't speak. Red tears were already beginning to blur my vision. "Come 'ere, Rachelle", Tante Aurelie whispered. "Closer."

I knelt so our faces were nearly level. Tante Aurelie put her clawlike hands on my head, and I could still feel the ripple of energy in them that was her power.

"'Zere ees one final theeng" she went on. "All I 'ave taught you, all you 'ave mastered are steel as nozzing weethout thees. You may learn and learn, but in 'ze end, only a weetch can make a weetch."

She closed her eyes and began to whisper in a language I had never heard. Her hands locked onto the sides of my head and the energy went from a ripple to a paralyzing electric current as she pulled me down and pressed her lips against my forehead. The heart monitor began to beep shrilly. I heard Uncle Paul shout something, but all I could see was blue-white.

"Get off her you sick freak!" I heard Leanne screech. Uncle Paul's hands were on my shoulders, pulling. "Enough, Paul!" Tante Aurelie rasped. _"__Il est fait._" She lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes as Uncle Paul stared down at her with trembling lips. "_Maman? Maman, restez! Veuillez ne pas nous laisser!_"

"Ah, _mon fils_" she murmured. "You are my good boy. My good son. Do not grieve…No Balletois fears death."

The monitor's stopped beeping and began to wail. Uncle Paul rushed into the hallway, yelling for the doctors and Leanne started to cry. I was still staggering from what Tante Aurelie had done to me. A river of fire was pouring through my brain! Everything in the room was edged with that same blue-white light I had seen in the conference room. Memories that I didn't recognize but still knew _were_ memories flowed liquidly through my mind. I saw Tante Aurelie as a young girl, meeting Sophie-Anne. I saw a regal, elegant woman that I knew was her grandmother. I saw other women and girls, places that I knew were far away and times that were not my own. I was seeing through the eyes of every Balletois woman who ever lived, flying backwards through a tunnel of memory.

_I pass to you the memories of our line, the power of our blood, as my grand-mère_ _did to me. You are Dupree no longer. You are La Balletois._

I could hear Tante Aurelie's voice so clearly I couldn't believe she wasn't standing right next to me.

"Rachel? Rachel!"

Someone was lifting me. I had sunk onto the floor and was sitting there, bent over and gasping. I looked up. "Pam?"

She guided me to a nearby chair and sat me down in it. She squatted down in front of me and peered anxiously into my face. For once, there was nothing blasé or mocking in her gaze. Doctors and nurses rushed in and surrounded my aunt's bed. "C'mon honey. We need to go. You need some blood, too. Can you walk?"

I stood up. The room swam around me for a minute and then settled into lines so sharp and clear I felt like I could see every tiny detail, right down to the dust particles on the floor. Pam's white skin glimmered; little sparks of electricity seemed to be shooting through it. I reached out to touch her cheek, mesmerized.

"Rachel…"

"It's okay" I whispered. The river of fire was still pouring through me, but it had moved from my brain to the rest of my body. In that single instant, I knew that I was the strongest that I would ever be. If I chose, I could kill without even a touch. Or I could heal, make things grow. I could see the _patterns _in things—I guess a scientist might say it was their atoms, I don't know. I just knew it was how all things fitted together and flowed into one another. Pam's skin was soft as velvet and hard as stone, animated by a totally different force than the slower life in human skin. She put her hand over mine and her eyes grew wide. "You're burning up!"

"I know" I said, and giggled before I could help myself.

_**Pam—POV**_

I didn't understand what happened between Tante Aurelie and Rachel in those last few moments until much later. I know that I came in and found Rachel on the floor next to Aurelie's bed. I know that I picked her up and put her in a chair, and I know that when she looked at me, her eyes were no longer brown or even amber; they were gold. She was smiling and her skin glowed so brightly I could actually _see _it against the walls of the room. I had _never_, in my 100+ years of existence, seen _anything_ like how Rachel looked then.

I knew I had to get her out of there. The hospital crash team had been summoned and was ordering us all out. Rachel's relatives were crying, and Rachel was stroking her fingers over my cheek, looking fascinated. Her fingers were hot, so hot they were almost painful on my skin. I grabbed her hand and tugged her out into the hallway. Vampire speed comes in handy sometimes.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. The last thing I figured her family needed to see was her smiling like that. She stiffened for a moment before she relaxed against me. Gradually, some of the heat seemed to go out of her body and she shivered. "Pam?"

"Yes?"

"She isn't really gone. Nothing _really _goes."

I had no idea what to say, so I responded by stroking her hair. Wetness seeped through my blouse and I tried not to think of my dry-cleaning bill.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Pam—POV**_

"How is she?" Eric asked quietly as I hugged him and ushered him through the door of our rooms.

"Lying down. You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

"I'm sorry to hear about Rachel's aunt. Our queen said she died a noble death."

"She did. And Sophie-Anne seems to have cared for her deeply" I shook my head. "Who would have thought?"

"She always did like to have her little secrets. This one was bigger than anyone thought. It turns out that as Madame Aurelie's heir, Rachel is now the head of the whole Balletois family. That means every family member in the whole country. They're all going to be descending on New Orleans in a matter of days. Rachel needs to be ready; some of them won't be happy about her being a vampire."

I closed my eyes. This was a headache I didn't need and neither did Rachel. After the initial rush of power, she had become silent. She clung to me when we slept but she didn't always notice my presence otherwise. After the nights we'd spent together, I was NOT in the mood for celibacy. I could have picked up a human, of course, but I didn't want a human. I didn't even want another vampire. The blood bond had magnified a hundredfold, and I knew that Rachel was struggling to put one foot in front of the other as her body and mind adjusted to her new power. I could feel the comfort she derived from my presence and her trust that I would keep her safe. I would not destroy her trust again.

"I'll do my best."

Eric nodded and looked at me. "How are you, _min raring en?_ I've been worried about you."

"I've been better."

My master gave me a shrewd glance. "Have you and Rachel-?"

"Yes. She finally gave in."

"So have you, I think."

I shrugged; I didn't see any point in denying it.

"Pam" Eric put his arm around me and I leaned my head on his shoulder. "It will be all right. She's a strong girl. She would never have come this far if she wasn't. And if she's the one you want, then I'm glad."

I sat up and stared at him. "All right, who are you and what have you done with Eric Northman?"

"I am still myself. I'm just in the process of discovering certain unfortunate truths." Eric sighed an stretched his arms behind his head.

"Such as?"

"Such as, no matter how long you live, no matter how far away from humanity you think you've fallen, the traces still remain."

_Sookie,_ I thought, but I didn't say it. "How long can you stay?"

"No more than a few days, so I must make the most of them."

The door to the inner room opened. We both turned and there was Rachel, barefoot and disheveled, wearing the old T-shirt and shorts she slept in. "I thought I heard voices. Hi, Eric." She smiled sadly at him.

"Rachel" Eric stood up as she approached and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm very sorry to hear about your aunt. "

"Yeah, me too."

"It's an honor to have met such a courageous woman" Eric said gravely. "Pam told me what happened. The vampires of Louisiana owe your Tante a debt we can never repay. I heard Sophie-Anne granted your freedom."

"Yup. Signed, sealed, and in a secret safe-deposit box." She chuckled. "How's that for alliteration? But I'm still going to work with her, at least for a while."

"Wise of you."

"I thought so."

Rachel turned to me. "Is there any O?"

"In the fridge, honey." Our room at the hotel was equipped with a whole minibar full of True Blood and a microwave. They also had on-demand donors, but so far I had been refraining.

"Thanks" She went to the minibar and began to rummage through the tiny refrigerator. "Uncle Paul is handling the funeral arrangements, but he says the family will want to meet and I have to be there. I'm not looking forward to that. Except for Tante Aurelie and Paul and Leanne, I hardly know any of them."

"Then it will be in your best interest to get to know them." Eric said.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Mister Obvious." Her tone was sarcastic, but her smile had widened into a grin. I winced inwardly at my feeling of relief. I wasn't expecting to see her grin like that for a long time.

"So how's everyone back home? Are Bill and Sookie and Jessica doing okay?"

"To the best of my knowledge, they are well."

I snorted. To the best of his knowledge! Like he didn't have someone watching Sookie around the clock.

Rachel heated True-Blood for us all and snuggled up next to me on the couch while Eric and I talked. Eric watched us both with an expression that told me he had found something to torment me about for centuries to come.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Rachel—POV**_

After Tante Aurelie's death, everything seemed to blur together. My phone rang nonstop, and it was always either Uncle Paul with questions about the funeral arrangements or Mama begging me to move to Texas with them. "Rachel, these folks are dangerous! I mean, I always knew that, but I had no idea they'd come after _us_ just to get to you. You need to get right away from there! Pastor says he can still take you to his lands out west...baby, _please!_"

"I can't, Mama" I said gently. "I work for Sophie-Anne now. That means I stay with her and her guards will protect me. I also have to meet with Tante Aurelie's relatives as soon as they can all get to New Orleans. Please don't worry, Mama...I'll be all right."

"I love you, baby. You know, that, don't you?"

"I know, Mama. I love you too."

Billy called to say goodbye and to be sure to call him if I needed him. "These are scary people, L'il Bit. They're much more organized than I ever imagined. If the Queen or whoever decides to let you go, you need to get right away from there."

"She's not letting me go anytime soon" I said. "You take care of Mama and Daddy, okay? I'll call when I can. Just help Pastor to get them out of here and safe."

"I will. We're all prayin' for you, L'il Bit."

"Thanks, Billy" I felt myself tear up. Despite what I'd become and all I'd put them through, they still loved me. And I would happily die myself before I let anything happen to them.

Pam stayed close to me. In fact, she was never more than a few feet away, and I could feel waves of worry coming off her. I was amazed at how gentle and restrained she had been since Tante Aurelie's death. She was even drinking True Blood instead of calling room service for donors. In fact, she was behaving like a real girlfriend. I had no idea what had come over her. Sure, we'd had some pretty fantastic sex, but for someone like Pam, that wasn't an explanation. The blood we'd shared enabled me to stay in tune with her emotions, and what I felt from her wasn't anything I would have thought she was capable of: concern, anxiety, loss, sadness, and even what felt suspiciously like longing.

Eric arrived in Little Rock a few days before we were scheduled to leave. Pam must have called him, because the first thing he did was express his condolences. I don't know if Pam told him the rest of what happened or about Sophie-Anne's marriage plans, because they mostly spoke in private, but right before Eric left to return to Shreveport, he came to the roof of our hotel expressly to speak to me. I had taken to sitting there during my rare moments of free time.

"There you are. Not waiting until sunrise, are you?" he popped up over the edge of the roof and flew across to join me. I made a mental note to ask him how he learned to fly; flying was one vampire skill I'd love to have.

"No. I'm just thinking and it's making my head hurt."

"Does Pam know you're up here?"

"Sure. She comes and sits with me sometimes."

"Good" Eric seated himself at the edge of the roof and let his legs dangle over the side. "You shouldn't be alone right now, Rachel. The Arkansas contingent is not very happy with you, to put it mildly."

"It's their own fault."

"Be that as it may" he said dryly. "You will need to be very careful. Our queen would be most unhappy if she heard of you taking any foolish risks, and _I_ will be most unhappy if Pam is endangered because of you."

I sighed. "I just need to get away sometimes. My whole world has fallen apart in the space of just a few months! I get bitten; I go live with Bill so I can learn to be a vampire; I run away; I come back and move in with Pam; I start to learn to deal with my savvy; I meet Sophie-Anne and take this job, and then we come here and my Tante dies. I've slept with both Sophie-Anne and Pam, creating a situation that probably didn't need to be created, and now there's probably a price on my head. I'm exhausted, Eric."

"Your turning has not been an easy road" he agreed. "But now that you've started on it, it will do you no good to look back."

"Pam said you told her the same thing once."

"It's good advice."

"I don't want to endanger Pam or anyone else. I just wish I had some time to breathe. Coming up here helps me focus."

"I did not mean coming to the roof particularly" Eric shook his head. "I know that you are still very young, and the burden that has been placed upon you is a heavy one. I am saying that you need not make this journey alone."

I raised my eyebrows. "Meaning?"

"Meaning that even though you are independent, you could still be claimed. Adopted, if you will. Our world is not kind to those without connections; much of our power depends on the alliances we build with each other."

I could not believe what I was hearing. "Are _you_ proposing to adopt me, Eric? I don't think Sophie-Anne would appreciate it."

He chuckled. "She wouldn't. Although your value to her will decrease now that she's marrying an enemy of your family. She will not be able to call on the Balletois at will anymore. No. I'm saying that if Pam offers to claim you, you would do well to accept."

I started to laugh. Dear God…_Eric_ was acting as a go-between! Or an interfering mother-in-law, depending on how you looked at it. "Did she ask you to say all this?"

"No. But she is my child, and her happiness is important to me."

"But does it _necessarily_ follow that I would make her happy?" I asked ironically. "Until recently, we did nothing but fight."

"Of course you did. She wanted you badly and you refused her. And you wanted her and couldn't admit it."

"Excuse me? I _never_ had a problem admitting it. For the hundredth time, I just thought it was a _bad idea!_"

"Why?"

I groaned in frustration. How in the hell could I make a vampire as old as Eric understand? "Because, _I'm_ still able to love, and it's going to take a while before that part of me dies. I knew if I slept with her, I'd come to love her, and then where would I be? Pam doesn't have that ability anymore."

He gazed out over the brightly lit city below us. "I can see why you would think that, but do not underestimate Pam. She does not show emotion easily, but her loyalty, once you win it, is yours forever and loyalty is a rare gift among vampires."

"But would it make her monogamous?" I asked with a bitter smile.

Eric snorted contemptuously. "That is the most ridiculous human habit ever developed. Sex is part of the animal nature, and the little adventures we enjoy should not be considered high treason. Pam and I have not been exclusive for many years, but our affection and trust endures. Which mattered more in the end, Rachel?"

"Sorry" I shook my head. "It matters to me. I'm a jealous woman, Eric."

He muttered something in another language. I had the feeling it wasn't complimentary. "If Pam wished for someone else in her bed, she would tell you plainly. In fact, she would probably invite you to share. Is that not more honest than the way humans lie and sneak around? Do you not value honesty?"

"Of course. But I would still hate it. It would be a reflection on me."

"It would not, you silly woman! It has no more significance than hunger or the need to scratch. Once we truly bond, it's for life-Pam could take a hundred others but she would never abandon you once you were hers."

"We're just gonna have to agree to disagree" I said firmly. "But I will think about what you said."


	43. Chapter 43

**Rachel—POV**

Pam came looking for me after a while. Eric and I were still sitting on the roof, just being quiet together. I thought it was nice of him to stay; I knew he was still hoping I would come back to Shreveport eventually, but I appreciated his presence anyway. "What are y'all talking about?" she asked as she swung herself up onto the roof edge next to me.

"Monogamy" I said dryly.

She raised a brow and looked questioningly at Eric. "Just a minor disagreement", he said. "And much as I would love to stay, I have to be getting back." And with that, he swooped off the roof and was gone.

"I want to do that" I sighed.

"He's showing off" Pam said.

"I know."

She smiled a little as she gazed after the black speck that was Eric. There was sadness in her energy, but mostly she felt peaceful. "He's trying to get you to come back to Shreveport once your employment with Sophie-Anne ends."

"I know that, too." I studied Pam's carefully made-up face. No matter what, she always had her eye shadow on.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to consider it."

"Sure. Why not?"

"His motives haven't changed, you know."

"And yours?"

She paused, then shrugged. "More or less the same. Plus the fact that I'd actually miss you."

I couldn't help laughing. Pam was making such an effort not to look at me as she said it. I reached down and took her hand. "Oh Pam...I'm truly honored."

Pam stared down at our hands, looking disgruntled. "You don't believe me?"

"Actually, I do. I can feel it. It just tickles me that you're so nervous about it. It's cute."

"Thanks a lot, brat." Pam snorted but she didn't let go of my hand. "Quite honestly, I'm starting to wonder if you've hexed me."

"Oh?"

"I'm _not _sentimental. I don't believe in it."

"Well, if it gets too bad, how about I just beat the hell out of you with a pillow again? Bring you back to your senses?"

"Hey, _I _won that fight."

"Uh-huh."

She let go of my hand and put her arm around me. It still felt weirdly comfortable, sitting with her, my head on her shoulder. I kept wondering where this new Pam had been, and what would happen when/if the old one returned. I felt her kiss the top of my head.

"Pam?"

"Hmm?"

"I hate to break the mood, but…why _have_ you been so…"

"What?"

"Kind…" I spoke slowly, choosing my words with care. "Nice…Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you have been, but why the change of heart? A few months ago you could barely stand to be around me for two minutes and now…"

Pam sighed and rested her head on mine. "You get to me, Rachel. I don't know why, but you do. I told you once that I would be honest with you, so let me say now that like my maker, I do hope that you will come back to stay in Shreveport. Your gifts make you valuable wherever you go. But the other reason is simply that you get to me. When I'm around you I feel…"

"Human?"

She was silent for a moment. "Maybe."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It's dangerous. Anything that makes you vulnerable is dangerous."

"Is it just the sex, do you think?"

"_I_ don't know" Pam said, sounding irritated. "I wish I did. Is it just the sex for _you_, do you think?"

I thought a moment before I answered. She had been honest if sarcastic, so I wanted to be, too. "It was never that I wasn't attracted to you. It was that I couldn't ever see you caring about me or anyone else. Sookie and Eric both said not to take you at face value, but you seem pretty cold."

"_Sookie_ said that?" Pam pulled away slightly and peered at me, her blue eyes incredulous.

"She said that vampires are possessive and because I'd been living with you and you'd been looking after me, you probably thought of me as yours, no matter how much you seemed to dislike me."

Pam laughed a little bitterly. "Well, nobody ever said Sookie wasn't perceptive. When did y'all have this little conversation?"

"It was after I hooked up with Sophie-Anne."

"Ah."

"I knew you were angry, but I didn't understand why. I never thought you'd care one way or another, and it's not like I could have told her no."

"I know that" the bitterness had evaporated; Pam actually sounded a little sheepish. Another miracle. "If you want _more_ honesty, it kind of surprised me. I tried to tell myself it was because Eric and I didn't need you to go running off to New Orleans to be one of her dogs, but frankly, it galled the hell out of me. What did she have that I didn't?"

I couldn't help but smile. "She had the fact that she controls all of Louisiana, and that I didn't have to live with her as punishment for running away, and she didn't seem to hate me, and—"

Pam took my chin in her hand and leaned close. "Let's get one thing straight right now—I _never _hated you." Her lips brushed across mine like cool silk. I leaned into the kiss with a sigh. Another nice thing was that Pam had been less sexually ferocious since Tante Aurelie's death. I appreciated the consideration. Especially since she had _taught _me what kind of havoc frustration wreaked upon her nerves.


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: I know. I know it's been ages and ages since I last updated this, but truthfully I couldn't think what to do next and I couldn't afford HBO so I couldn't use the shows for inspiration anymore, and I based this story on how the characters are in the show. I've been able to see a few more of the episode bits via YouTube and I think what's gotten me going again is that I can't stand the way they're doing Pam. I've read enough of the **_**Southern Vampire Mysteries**_** to know that Charlaine Harris wrote Pam as a complex character. She is one of the least human of the vampires Sookie meets, but she is not a raving bitch or Sookie's enemy. She's strong, independent, has a sense of humor (if a dark one) and is not so obsessed with Eric that she competes with Sookie for him. The Pam in the books would find that notion ridiculous. In fact, she'd be far more likely to try and get with Sookie herself just to irritate him.**

**Unfortunately, the Pam in the TV series seems to have less and less redeeming features as the show goes on. She's starting to come across as just one more catty bitch competing for her man, and this makes her much less of a character than she should be. From here on out, EVERYTHING WILL BE COMPLETELY AU. My thanks to all who have read and commented so far! I own nothing of course; all genius is Charlaine Harris'!**

**Love, Maumauka**

_**Rachel—POV**_

"Juliet Balltoys"

"Nina Balter Konig"

"Alejandra de Medina y Balletio"

"Jenny Balletois Rogers"

"Jacob Ball Mayer"

"Balletois Joseph Dupree"

One by one, the nine women and three men sitting around the table introduced themselves. According to my Uncle Paul, they were the heads of all the branches and sub-branches of the Balletois family. I wish Tante Aurelie had mentioned there were so _many._ Except for Billy, none of them looked happy to see me and with my newfound powers, I could tell every last one of them was a witch that you didn't want to fuck with.

"I'm pleased to meet you all" I said. I wished it was true.

"Let's get down to business" Uncle Paul said grimly. "As I informed you all, my mother made certain changes to her will shortly before her death. At present, it reads, "All moneys, lands, property, and trusts except for the other bequests listed herein I leave to my great niece and nephew, Rachel Balletois Dupree and Balletois Joseph Dupree. In return, they agree to take the surname of Balletois and to act as guardians of our line. My son, Paul Andre Balletois, will act as advisor and advocate until such time as they are ready to take on their full responsibilities. I presume we all know what this means."

Everyone nodded. Juliet Balltoys, head of the British branch, snorted softly in contempt. "Everyone except _them_, it seems. Paul, are you _quite_ sure your mother was competent? She wasunder a good deal of strain, you know."

Uncle Paul turned to Billy and me. "You are in control of both the lives and fortunes of this family, which spans three continents and includes at least ten separate countries. No decision, financial or magical, can be made without your approval. Your responsibilities include seeing to our interests and preparing the next generation, which might be a problem in Rachel's case."

"It will _definitely_ be a problem in my case" I said. "So here's my idea: I will mostly function in an advisory capacity with veto power. Uncle Paul tells me that you always make important decisions by vote; I see no reason to change that. I will have the final say, but you don't need to worry that I'm going to interfere much."

The table was silent. Most of my relatives' faces were impossible to read, but one or two looked surprised.

"I'm aware that you aren't happy about the situation", I went on. "I get why. I can't have children; my magic is still developing because I was so late when my training started, and both Billy and I were kept away from the family by our parents. And of course, there's this…" I popped my fangs out and several people flinched. "So, it seems to me that the wisest course of action would be the one Tante Aurelie originally planned: Uncle Paul will train Billy and I in the management of our affairs until Billy is ready to take the reins. I mostly plan to function as an advisor; I'll have input and if need be, I'll have veto power, but Billy will carry the next generation forward so it's him you'll answer to in the end." I smiled a little. "He's twenty minutes older than me anyway."

I didn't take Sookie Stackhouse see the wave of relief that swept the room. Uncle Paul looked astonished, but only for a minute. Billy squeezed my hand. "You sure this is what you want, L'il Bit?" he whispered.

I nodded. "I just wish it didn't put you in the hot seat."

"It's all right. A long time ago, Tante Aurelie told me that only a witch could run the whole family. Uncle Paul was her right hand, but he hasn't got any magic and there's nothing anyone can do about that. He knows it deep down."

"And I reckon he'd rather answer to you than me" I whispered back.

"Well, I'll be leanin' on you a lot. These folks aren't gonna be easy to deal with. I shook hands with all of them and at least three think _they_ should be running everything. And with all the money the family has, I'm gonna be watching my back. Want to be my bodyguard?"

"Billy, I'd say yes in a minute if I wasn't still working for Sophie-Anne. The minute she lets me out I'll come running. You just call me."

When I returned to my palace quarters that night, Pam was waiting for me. She had made a trip back to Shreveport and I hadn't wanted her to go. We were still under threat from Arkansas and I was worried sick they'd kidnap her.

"Well?" she asked as soon as I came in.

"Ugh" I flopped down next to her on the couch. "You should meet them. You'd change your mind in a hurry about vampires and humans being all that different. I'm gonna have to see to it that they don't try to eliminate Billy."

"Why? He's a witch too, isn't he? And your aunt started training him before she started training you."

"I don't know how skilled he is with combat magic."

"He probably knows how NOT to set the furniture on fire by accident."

"Bitch", I grumbled as I straddled her lap. "You wanna see me set something else on fire?"

"_Always_, darlin'." Pam pulled me in for a kiss.

"How was your trip?"

"It was fine. Eric sends his regards."

"How's he doing?"

"Still pointlessly pining after Sookie. I can't say I like the effect she has on him. His balls have shrunk two sizes since he met her."

"She's a good person, Pam."

"How exciting."

"Mmm", I sighed as her hands slipped under my blouse. I loved how her hands felt on my skin, so soft and cool but so strong. Sometimes they bruised me but I didn't mind. In fact, I wished the bruises lasted more than an hour or two. It got me going to see them. I'd been waking up a little from the fog that surrounded me since Tante Aurelie's death and I found that I wanted sex more often than I ever had before. Pam said that was normal when someone when someone died. I thought it was creepy but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. Pam made short work of my bra as I traced my fangs over her neck. "Take your top off before I rip it in half."

A knock sounded loudly on my door. "Not now! Shit!" I groaned as I hid myself against Pam's front. Pam, damn her, just lay there and laughed.

"Just a minute!" I yelled. I gave Pam one last kiss and buttoned myself up. It turned out to be one of the valets with a summons from Sophie-Anne. Not surprising; she would want to know what was going on with Tante Aurelie's family, if only so she could figure out exactly how much we could still do for her. Her marriage to Peter Threadgill was going forward, and once they tied the knot, we would no longer be her allies. I expected her to terminate my employment then, if not sooner.

Sophie Anne was sitting in the Blue room, looking through an enormous pile if invitation samples. Hadley was nowhere to be seen. "Come and help me, Rachel. I just can't decide between these four."

I sat down next to her. "I like the ivory with the tea roses."

She nodded. "So do I…it's so old-fashioned and lovely, but maybe the stripes would be better. Peter doesn't like all this frou-frou business."

"Peter isn't the bride, isn't he?"

"He's a fussy old maid in britches, that's what he is." Sophie-Anne shook her head with a sigh. "He doesn't like anything! Not the invitations, not the planner I chose…he doesn't even like my dress."

I knew better than remind her that he was probably trying to shore up his ego after the debacle in Little Rock. "I guess you want to know how the meeting went." I said. "They weren't happy, to say the least."

"Of course not."

"Billy will be in charge. And Paul. I plan to stay out of the decision-making process as much as possible. I told them that, but they still aren't very happy. Billy told me a few of them were counting on being next in line."

"Never give away power, Rachel" Sophie-Anne arched her eyebrow at me. "You don't want to diploma-cize yourself right out of the loop. I know you and your brother are close, but people change when there's a lot of money and power involved. You make sure that they tell you everything that's going on. _Everything, _no matter how small, understand? Use spies if you have to and if you can find anyone trustworthy. Do they know what happened at the conference?"

"Paul told them. I don't think they think the family alliance with you was worth Tante Aurelie dying."

Her lips tightened, but she shrugged. "No, they wouldn't. Watch yourself around them, Rachel. Right now they're probably more dangerous to you than Arkansas is. You know of course, that I won't be able to keep you after I marry."

"I know that."

"Before you leave my employ, however, I have a job for you."

My stomach tightened; I waited.

Sophie-Anne smiled harshly. "You're going to be my maid of honor. Hadley refuses to take part in the wedding and I will not force her. You will stay by my side 24-7 and make sure there are no unexpected accidents."

"Pam?" I asked.

"Pam will return to Shreveport."

I opened my mouth and then closed it quickly. Sophie Anne held up the tea-rose invitation and examined it. "I can't afford to have you distracted now, and Pam is extraneous."

I groaned inwardly. Our relationship was so new, and back in Shreveport she had a bar full of fangbangers to play with! Everything stood a good chance of going kaput if I I couldn't be near her for two whole months!

"I trust you have no objections?" Sophie-Anne tilted her head and gently ran a fingertip over my cheek. Oh shit. Oh shit. Did she want some sort of last fling? Where the hell was Hadley? The queen's eyes were green as the sea and cold as ice. Was this punishment?

I looked down at the table. "It will be as you say, Sophie-Anne."

"Yes, it will. It _always_ will, Rachel. Don't forget that, either."


	45. Chapter 45

**Pam—POV**

"Now what?" I asked Eric.

"Did she tell you to stay out of New Orleans completely?"

"No. She said, 'Run along home, Pamela. We'll see you at the wedding'. I presume she means you, too. She sent me off with these." I dropped two invitations on creamy ivory paper in front of my boss.

"Then there's no reason you shouldn't return as long as she doesn't see you."

"And how do you propose I do that?"

"You'll be there on my orders. There's a troublesome coven of witches that's been calling and asking for money. See if they're connected in any way to the Balletois family." Eric raised an eyebrow at the look on my face. "And frustrating though it is, _min kära__,_ it would be wise of you to practice restraint while you're exiled. Rachel has told me she's a jealous woman."

"Goddamn it. You could at least _pretend_ to be sympathetic." I glared at him and he laughed. "Sorry. But you haven't been sympathetic to _me_, have you?"

"I meant Rachel."

"Of course you did. But you know as well as I do that in the circumstances, this is probably the wisest move our queen could make. Rachel has many enemies. Her own family, for one; Peter Threadgill's people, and even the Queen's pet would all be delighted if she disappeared."

"I still don't see why_ I_ had to leave" I grumped.

"It's a light penalty and you know it."

I did. It would be stupid to think that Sophie-Anne wouldn't want a _little_ payback for my pre-empting her with Rachel. I sighed. "When should I go back?"

"I would give it at least a week. And try not to attempt contact with Rachel until the wedding."

At least Eric put me up in a nice hotel. I wanted to take Sookie along to examine the members of Rachel's family that were gathered in New Orleans but Eric refused to let her go, so I asked him to try and get ahold of Billy Dupree and have him contact me. He wasn't a telepath, but he was the next best thing.

To my surprise, he was prompt about it. A knock sounded on my door the second night I was back. "Come in, Billy" I said. "How have you been and all that pointless crap?"

"Up to my nuts in it" he said amiably as he sauntered in and made himself at home on my couch. "I had to give Mama and Daddy the news about Tante Aurelie's will; the fact that they're set for life don't make em' any less upset."

"So you're in charge now? Rachel told me she abdicated."

"Actually, Uncle Paul is. I intend to keep him that way: real, real close. You know what they say."

"Hm. I called you here for a reason, Billy. I didn't want Eric to tell you over the phone because it's probably tapped. He says he's been receiving extortion threats from a coven of witches. You know anything about that?"

"Nope."

I debated whether or not to try and glamour him. I finally decided against it. No point in antagonizing him before I had to. "It's important we find out who they are. Rachel told me that your relatives aren't particularly happy about the will. Think it might be one of them?

Billy shook his head. "Could be. I just met them a week ago, so I haven't had time to really suss em' out yet, and I don't know what Paul may have told em'. I do know if they're doing that, it ain't money they want."

"I _know_ that" I gritted my teeth. Humans are so damn dense they drive me crazy! "But it could be revenge, or just simple power. Eric and I need you to see what you can find out."

"Uh-huh. And what do I get in return?"

"You get to live. And so does your family in Texas."

Billy leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "Let's get one thing straight right now, Miss Pam. I'm not your errand boy, and I don't like threats" his voice was deadly quiet. "My sister may owe you and Sheriff Northman a debt, but I don't. You lay a hand on my family OR my sister and I will blow you both to kingdom come. Got it?" His eyes burned into mine. Like Rachel's, they turned amber when he was mad.

"Believe me, we don't want any unpleasantness either" I countered. "But my job as Sheriff Northman's lieutenant is to protect his interests and yours is the only witch family we've had dealings with lately."

He nodded. "True. And I can see some of them wanting to cause trouble. Tell you what: give me your hand."

"Why?"

"That's my price. Take it or leave it."

Grudgingly, I held my hand out. Billy took it and I yelled as what felt like 3,000 volts went crashing up my arm. I jerked backwards but couldn't pull free. His eyes continued to stare into mine and I felt the unthinkable happening. He was _inside my head._

It felt awful, like all of a sudden my mind was a giant file cabinet and he was going through it. I saw images, fragments of memory that I had long buried and that I had no desire to remember. I hated it that he could see them too. After what felt like an eternity in the pits of hell, he withdrew and let go of me. My legs gave out and I collapsed on the floor at his feet. _"What…the…fuck!"_ I panted.

Billy gave a mirthless chuckle. "I may not can light fires or cause storms like Rachel, but I got my own talents. You're not just here because the Sheriff sent you. You're here because the queen sent you away and you're worried sick that something might happen to Rachel. I gotta admit, I was surprised to see it, but my savvy don't lie. You really care about her, don't you?"

"Yes" I muttered.

"Then I think we can work together Miss Pam. C'mon, let me help you up. I promise I won't blast ya again."

I almost refused, but found that my legs still weren't exactly functional. Billy pulled me up into a chair. "Sorry to have to do that, but I also mean to see to it that she stays safe."

I wasn't in the mood to argue. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yup. I'll come back in a couple of days. In the meantime, here's my cell" Billy scribbled a number down on a pad of the hotel stationary. "Call me if you need anything."

And with that, he was gone. I sat for nearly an hour in the chair, rubbing my legs and feet until the feeling came back. Then I picked up the phone and called for a donor. _It's just sustenance, _I thought._ Survival. And after Billy-Blast-O-Matic's little visit, I think I deserve it._


	46. Chapter 46

_**Rachel-POV**_

Diplomacy is hard work. Especially when you look like a big pink cupcake.

I don't know what I expected it to be like. The only wedding I'd ever been to was my cousin Marly's and I was just a guest at that one. Marly had two attendants, her best friend and her sister. Sophie Anne had _twelve_, all of them queens of other territories or power players in vampire society. I kept track of them in my head by treating them like Miss America contestants and referring to them in my wedding notebook by their areas. The only one I was curious about was Carmen de la Garza, Queen of California, whose authority I would have been under if my maker had claimed me.

They were all curious about me, though. Obviously the gossip had spread out of Arkansas to other areas, and several of them wondered in my hearing whether or not I'd supplanted Hadley in Sophie-Anne's life. I might have been the maid of honor, but to these women, the emphasis was on the _maid_. I was forever running dresses and accessories back and forth to the seamstresses and the designer. One queen-Alabama, I think-even took me aside and whispered, "Don't let them do you like that! You're the maid of honor, not Cinderella!" but what could I say? _I _wasn't the ruler of anywhere. I thought Hadley was smart to stay clear of the whole mess. I mean, YOU try taking twelve women, most of them royal, to be fitted in fluffy pink dresses! The designer nearly had a nervous breakdown and so did I. Sophie-Anne didn't seem to notice. I was like her shadow; I followed her everywhere except to her coffin to sleep and jotted things down that she wanted relayed to the appropriate support staff.

"Ladies...your Majesties..." I cleared my throat and bowed low. "This is only the first round of selection. Her Majesty of Louisiana will make the final choice. She is being fitted now for her gown and will be along in a moment."

Fortunately for me, Sophie-Anne glided in right after I said that. "Good evening, everyone! I am _so_ pleased to see you all here." She smiled and indicated I should sit. There was a babble of voices as several of the queens complained that full skirts made them look fat. Sophie-Anne held up her hand for quiet. "I know this will not be easy. All of us have our own unique beauty and our own sense of style, but I trust we can come to an agreement. I want this wedding to be as gracious and lovely as we are ourselves."

Everyone laughed. I forced a chuckle. I was the only one actually wearing a bridesmaid dress. The rest were on mannequins. It was cocktail-length with a huge tulle skirt and a halter neck. It came with this weird little hat made of a circle of cloth and some netting. I felt like a complete tool in it. I had a feeling that by the time the wedding was over, I would hate frou-frou as much as Peter Threadgill did.

"Then let's start by agreeing on the current _year_" the Queen of New York said firmly. "For a wedding of this caliber, we need Vera Wang or Carolina Herrera. Or perhaps Valentino."

"All of those designers are wonderful" Sophie-Anne said, smiling. "But in tribute to my queendom, I'm going with Corielle Hudson. She's native to Louisiana, and yet she truly understands glamour."

New York looked doubtfully at the mannequins. "Do you plan to indulge your taste for the classic, Sophie-Anne?" another queen asked tactfully.

"I plan for us to be a vision of beauty."

"Then why is _she_ here?" New York nodded her silvery head in my direction. Her hair was pure white; in life she had obviously grayed prematurely, but it looked stunning on her.

"_She_ is here, Miranda, because _I_ chose her for my maid of honor, and because her proportions are perfect. Rachel, come here."

I got up and went over to where Sophie-Anne was standing. I already knew I was going to hate what was coming next.

"Corielle?" Sophie-Anne snapped her fingers at Corielle Hudson, who looked terrified, as well she might. She was human. "A-as you all can see, the distance between Rachel's shoulders and waist and waist and hips are almost even." She swallowed so hard I could hear it. "That's the most important thing in getting a gown to fit. Her Majesty thought that rather than have all of you change at once, that using Rachel as a model might give you an idea..."

They all stared at me. New York shook her head slightly, her lips pursed.

"Perhaps we should see the rest" Sophie-Anne said.

I went on like that all night. By sunrise the only thing everyone agreed on was that the first dress was out of the question. When they'd all departed to their rooms in the palace and Corielle and her assistants had gone, Sophie-Anne collapsed onto a chaise. "Buck up, Rachel. It only gets worse from here. Did you speak to Constancia about the menus for the tea?"

"Yes. She thinks you should go with the AB hibiscus gelato."

That was another thing. A queen doesn't have something as casual as a bridal shower or a bachelorette party. Instead, there was a "tea" in which nobody drank tea and over a hundred women arrived to give Sophie-Anne their gifts and congratulations. Peter had to have one, too, but his party would be later in the night and much more raucuous. For all of these events, plus the wedding reception, New Orleans was completely overrun with fangbangers. It was all over the local news and wherever the fangbangers went, an equal number of anti-vampire picketers followed.

It was a circus, and to cap everything, Hadley was threatening to leave the palace. Sophie-Anne placed her under guard because she was terrified Hadley would get killed in the insanity outside, but she hated to do it. She was terribly hurt by the whole thing; even I could see it.

"I'm getting too old for this" Sophie-Anne put her hand across her eyes. "I was made during the Middle Ages, did Pam tell you? I'm feeling every bit of it."

"It could be worse" I ventured. "You could have to pick out a silver pattern."

Sophie-Anne laughed and shook her head. "That's so true. What a treasure you are to remind me."

I smiled uncertainly. I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Sometimes she laughed the most when she was angry. She got quiet again as she leaned against the back of the chaise and gazed up at the ceiling. "I've asked Peter to accept Eric as one of his groomsmen. Every attendant in my party has to have a countpart in his. You'll be safe with him" she caught the look on my face and raised a brow. "And _yes_, Pam has been invited. You're welcome."

I felt myself flush. I'm actually looking forward to when I've been dead so long I can't do that anymore. "Thank you, Sophie-Anne."

She sighed. "It really would have been nice if you and I could have been associates a little longer."

"Hadley wouldn't like it."

"No." She was silent and her grief was palpable in the air. I leaned forward "She knows this is a political alliance, doesn't she?"

"Of course she does. I've explained it more than once, but it doesn't help. Even if Hadley accepted the situation fully, we still wouldn't be able to be alone for quite a while. Peter has a mistress, and he'll eventually return to her, but for the next few months we have to at least take a stab at unity."

"So what you and Hadley really need is quality time alone?"

"Yes. And it's the one thing that's truly impossible right now."

"What if you went incognito, like-" I bit my tongue before I could say, _like you did with me._

"Out of the question. My every movement is watched."

I grinned. "Then you just need people to see you walking around and doing things? How about this?" I focused on her face and pulled my savvy into myself, kind of letting it curl around my body from my head to my feet. Sophie-Anne stared at me, her mouth dropping open in shock. I couldn't help but laugh. She'd forgotten that I'd been trained by my Tante Aurelie. Anyone who came into the room now would think that Sophie-Anne had a twin sister. "Corielle Hudson isn't the _only_ one who understands 'glamour' you know."

"You would do this for me?"

"Sure. Why not?" I plopped back down in my chair, still wearing the illusion. "You could book yourself in for a beauty treatment, something that would require you to stay hidden. You put on your wig and I put on your image and it's done."

She thought about it. Her small tongue licked over her lips and I ignored the picture that popped into my head. I was missing Pam, all right. "It would still be difficult. And dangerous."

"Probably. But I think that if you really love Hadley, you should consider it."

She stood up and nodded towards the velvet-draped windows. "I must sleep now and so should you, but I will consider your suggestion. Good morning and thank you, dear one."

We retired to our separate rooms. I knew it was a crazy and probably very reckless idea, but I was beginning to feel like a caged, demented parakeet and I knew Sophie-Anne felt just the same way.


	47. Chapter 47

_**Pam-POV**_

"_JESUS, PAM! ARE YOU INSANE OR JUST DIRT STUPID? I DON'T NEED THIS! I AM UP TO MY ASS IN PINK CHIFFON AND BLOOD-FLAVORED GELATO!"_

I winced and held the phone away from my ear. Rachel was doing an excellent impression of her mother.

"I admit it wasn't the brightest thing to say, but after all these years of not being around humans in any context except the gourmet, there are certain things I do on autopilot. It won't happen again." I thought I was being very generous; I never apologize and I never explain. But Rachel wasn't mollified. "You know, I was wondering when the old you was going to re-appear. How dare you threaten my brother! How dare you threaten _any_ of us? How—"

"I stated a _fact,_ Rachel" I said as patiently as I could. "I am Eric's _child_ and I will not tolerate any threats to him_._ If this coven he's dealing with is in any way connected to the Balletois, then we have the right to restitution."

"My Mama and Daddy are the _Duprees, _not the Balletois, or did you forget that? I don't believe you. I think you wanted to see if you could bully Billy the way you did me when I was made."

"You ungrateful little brat!" I hissed. She was _really_ starting to annoy me. "We could have killed you on sight, but we didn't!"

"And we _both _know why that was!" Rachel snapped. "The plain fact is that you're a bigot. An anti-human bigot. I may not know why God created mankind, but I don't think 'vampire slaves' was the idea. No wonder you say you were on autopilot you…you…_immortality supremacist!"_

She hung up. I chucked the phone onto my bed and said every curse I knew. Someone knocked on the door._ "WHAT?" _I snarled.

"This a bad time?"

_Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful, _I thought _as _I opened the door for "Always. Got any news for me?"

"None of the heads of the family seem to know anything, but that don't mean much. There's a hefty number of Balletois cousins in Louisiana alone and any of them might want to fuck with you. Uncle Paul said he'd see what he could find out."

"Do you trust him to tell you the truth?"

Billy shrugged. "Not all of the family thought the alliance Adelaide Balletois made with your queen was a good idea. They all know how to cloak themselves and it wouldn't be hard for them to get ahold of some no-name bunch and use them instead of going at ya directly. Paul may or may not want me to know anything, so I'm gonna do a bit more digging on my own. Eric's agreed to give me all the info he has."

"Good."

Billy grinned and nodded at my phone. "Was that Rachel?"

I glared at him. "I suppose you _had_ to tell her?"

"Course I did. Anyone who does something that stupid deserves to get cussed out. But if it makes you feel any better, I told her you had a brain cramp. When I blasted you, I didn't see anything bad in your mind, so I knew you weren't _really_ fixin' to go after any of us. You just opened your mouth and stuck your foot right in. Reckon you're stressed out without her, huh?"

Stressed out was putting it mildly. Being sent away so abruptly had me so discombobulated I hardly knew what I was doing. I had never tried to be good for so long before. It was killing me! I hate True Blood and I hate being celibate. The minute this goddamn wedding was over I was going to chain Rachel to my bed for at least a week.

"You can call her, ya know, although I wouldn't advise doing it right away. Give her time to get over it."

"And if she doesn't?"

"She will. If she was _really_ mad, she wouldn't speak to you at all. She's pretty frazzled herself with this wedding thing. Apparently, her Majesty has Rachel running all over creation trying to get things ready. She spends all her time talking to caterers, dress designers, wedding planners, invitation writers, hairdressers, makeup people, and PR officers. She says if anyone makes her a bridesmaid again, she's going outside at noon."

I was a bit surprised to hear this. Normally, Sophie-Anne doesn't delegate. Something else had to be going on. She could just be trying to keep Rachel from leaving the palace, since New Orleans had turned into a seething cauldron of media frenzy, but I doubted that was the whole reason. _The sooner Eric gets here, the better,_ I thought. _Thank God our Serene Majesty decided to ask him to be a part of this ridiculous farce._ He'd been asked to be one of Threadgill's groomsmen, something that would _never _have happened unless Sophie-Anne had asked for it. For the first time, I actually wished Sookie was around. She'd know what was going on in five minutes.

When Billy was gone I called Eric and relayed the news. He said he didn't expect to find out who the witches were right away and he'd send me a catalogue for Good Vibrations. I told him to sit on it and rotate until his asshole bled. He asked me if I was offering my stiletto boots as an aid to the procedure and I hung up on him while he was still laughing his infuriating Viking ass off.


	48. Chapter 48

**Rachel—POV**

Billy and I were in my sitting room. When he called and said he had something important to tell me, I got Sophie-Anne's permission to bring him into the palace disguised as a workman. He told me that Eric was being harassed by a coven of witches and Pam wanted him to find out if the coven was in any way connected to the Balletois family.

"From what Eric's told me, they want the power he has over other supernatural folks in Shreveport", Billy said with a frown. "Turns out that means werewolves, shape-shifters, fairies, and just about every other magical being you ever heard of. I haven't been able to find anyone that's ever met these coven folks, but I think if they're connected to the Balletois, it'll be someone who was close to Tante Aurelie herself. She's the only one who knew what happened to you until just now; I don't think Sheriff Eric is a random target."

"Paul?" I asked.

"He's hiding something. I know 'cause he's been very careful about not letting me touch him or his stuff, but I don't know if it's necessarily the Eric thing. There's lots he probably doesn't want us knowing about."

"Leanne?"

"She hasn't been home the last few times I came to her house. Doesn't look good, does it?"

"No."

"Could be payback" Billy said thoughtfully as he leaned back in his chair. "They might see that kind of power as restitution for Tante Aurelie dyin', but somehow I don't think so. Why in the hell would they care who's running Shreveport?"

"Tante Aurelie stayed out of the Shreveport vamps business" I pointed. "Her grandmother made the alliance with Sophie-Anne and I didn't get the impression she called on it often. She said it helped for the family to be on friendly terms with the vampires, but she didn't tell me about any specific deals they made. Do you think the international bunch might know?"

Billy shook his head slowly. "The only thing I got from any of them was that they were furious that Aurelie changed her mind about us. That English lady especially. Her family was next in line to the throne."

"Well, maybe it's just spite" I suggested. "I was made in Eric's Area. Maybe someone in the family who really hates vampires—"

"They hate you too, Rache. And me. It wouldn't matter what you are. Naw, I still think if the family's connected, Paul's the likeliest suspect. And of course, it could always be some other group. Eric's been tryin' to find out where they're holed up but he hasn't been lucky so far."

"What about Sookie?" I asked. "Couldn't she help?"

Billy shook his head again and made a face. "Sookie ain't in the mood to help anybody right now. She and Bill broke up."

"What?"

"Yup. Turns out your queen sent him down there on purpose. She heard Sookie could read minds and thought her skills might come in useful, so she sent ol' Bill down to sweetheart her."

"But…but…!" I sputtered "They really seemed like they loved each other!"

"She loved him. He may have loved her, I don't know. I sure got the impression she meant a lot to him when I met him. But then Eric went and told her."

I groaned. I had thought better of him than that. It seemed so _petty._ Was he really so jealous and selfish that he was willing to make her miserable if it meant she'd leave Bill? It wasn't like such an action was going to _endear _him to her.

"Asshole thing to do", Billy said, summing up my feelings perfectly. "I guess that option's out then" I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "Vampires!I can't believe _I'm_ one of them. Promise me you'll chain me in the sun if I start doing shit like that."

Billy reached over and tugged my ponytail. "You won't, L'il Bit. I have faith."

We were quiet for a moment and then I asked, "You seen Pam since you've been home?"

"I seen her here. She's at the Mayfair."

I had mixed feelings when he said that. I wondered immediately why she hadn't been to see me, and then remembered that Sophie-Anne had pretty much told her to stay away until the wedding. "How's she doing?"

"Missing you."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Even after I went off on her?"

Billy chuckled. "I told you the whole reason she screwed up like that was she had a brain cramp. The lady just doesn't have skills; she probably didn't even when she was livin'. She don't want to hurt you. It just hasn't sunk in yet that she hurts you if she hurts anyone connected to you. It's like with most people 1+1+1 equals 3, right? Well, with Miss Pam, 1+1+1 is just one and one and one."

"You make it sound like she has Asperger's."

"How do you know she doesn't?"

"I don't" I admitted. "But hundreds of years of thinking that she's a superior form of life have definitely left their mark. She wanted to see if she could push you around."

"Well, she can't, so don't worry" Billy grinned lasciviously and tipped me a wink. "Shall I tell her you miss her too?"

"You might as well" I sighed. "I don't see the point in lying about it. The other queens can't agree on anything, and I've spent almost two weeks, modeling fluffy pink dresses. I feel like an idiot and I look even worse. If Pam were here, we'd at least have some laughs."

"You can call her yourself, you know."

"I know it."

Getting a private call in, however, proved to be difficult. When I wasn't with Sophie-Anne I was pretending to _be_ Sophie-Anne, and she could hardly be calling some strange vamp all the time so close to her wedding. Pam didn't call me either, and I didn't know if it was because she was pissed off at me for yelling at her or if she just thought it was wiser if we didn't talk. I wondered if she would buy Sophie-Anne a wedding present.

The preparations dragged on. The choice of bridesmaid dresses was narrowed from five to three, and then down to two. Finally, Corielle Hudson produced a winner: a lovely chiffon gown in layers of pale pink and ivory. Even I liked it, and formal wear gives me the willies. There were also little clips for everyone's hair that had tiny silk tea roses on them. I wondered how New York felt about that. She definitely did NOT seem like like a floral person. Sophie-Anne's gown was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It had cap sleeves and a beaded bodice like ours, but the skirt was this immense thing with a train at the back. She wore a cathedral veil with it, adding to the weight behind. We practiced walking, Sophie-Anne wearing the gown and me walking behind her holding the train and veil and trying not to drop any of it. She scolded me a lot "Small children do this, Rachel! If _they _can carry a train without looking like they're carrying a bundle of old sheets, surely _you_ can."

I bit my tongue and refrained from pointing out that there was usually more than _one_ little kid doing it and _they_ were wearing flat shoes. Of all the clothes I simply don't wear, high heels lead the list. When I was alive, the things were simply too damn painful. Now that I was undead, pain was no longer a problem but balance sure was. My ankles kept bending every which way and I kept tripping over my skirt, Sophie-Anne's train, and my own two feet. It got to the point that she finally had Corielle dye an extra pair black for me and told me to wear them every day with my regular clothes until I was used to them. I felt like a prize idiot but I kept them on. I even kept them on when I practiced my combat magic. I figured if something went wrong at the wedding I might not have time to to change my shoes.

Then there was the time I spent on my impersonation. Sophie-Anne visited Hadley in her room every night in the wee hours before dawn, which meant I had to go to her rooms, lock myself in the bathroom, glamour myself, and then stay in there until she came back. The queen spent a whole lot of time on beauty rituals before she slept, and she insisted that I learn all of them and copy them exactly. Another of her guards, Andre, was the only other of us in on the secret so it was his job to let me in and out. I actually had to glamour myself twice: once to look like regular Sophie-Anne, and once to look like Sophie-Anne _incognito_. Maintaining a glamour for long periods is very draining, even for a vampire. The mind wants to slip out of focus and once you do that, your disguise is gone, poof! You have to always hold an image in the back of your mind of what (or who) you're supposed to look like. Fortunately, the Queen's bathroom was as big as most people's living rooms and it was loaded with mirrors. I went in there glamoured, wearing one of Sophie-Anne's negligees and went throught the rituals until she came back. She took bubble baths every night and so did I. She laid out negliegee sets for me and I wore them andI tried not to be freaked out by it. _So this is what it feels like to be Sophie-Anne_, I would think as I brushed my glamoured hair or smoothed in one of the ten thousand little creams that she used for no reason I could see.

Sometimes I would just sit and look at myself in the mirrors. I have never, ever in my life considered myself beautiful. I'm not _ugly,_ but I'm too stocky and flat-chested and my face is more round than oval. My eyes are almond-shaped so when I smile, they squinch up like knife cuts in butter. My hands are rough with stubby fingers and I never do my nails. I have big hips and broad shoulders and a short neck. Not horrible, but certainly not willowy and delicate like the Queen. Or hot like Pam. I didn't even have Sookie's wholesome sweetness; I was just a standard-issue person. One night I gazed and gazed into those mirrors and looked at Sophie-Anne's face looking back at me and wondered what it was like to live inside such a beautiful skin. I ran my hands over my body and almost lost the glamour when it felt the same under my touch as it always had. In the mirror Sophie-Anne's white hands stroked over her satiny flesh and dropped her nightgown on the floor while Rachel remembered a another certain night a few months ago. _Not good. _I wasn't about to cause a mess by going down _that_ road. I sighed and began filling the tub.

I'd only just gotten in when my cell rang. I felt a twinge of guilt when I saw Pam's number flashing up at me, but I grabbed the phone off of Sophie-Anne's tubside vanity tray. "Pam?"

"Eric. I am here with Pam. Where are you?"

"I'm in..." I looked frantically around the room. _A meeting with the Queen? No, that won't work. What if he asks to talk to her?_ "...the tub. I'm taking a bath before I go to ground." I decided that omission was safer than an outright lie.

"Ah?" His voice took on a note of definite interest. _Jesus, Eric. Don't turn into a pervert on me now! _"What's up?" I asked.

"The King of Arkansas, undoubtledly at our Queen's behest, has asked me to be one of his attendants. I have agreed to do so."

"I know. She told me."

"She would not have asked this if she did not expect the possibility that any trouble might center on you. When I arrive for the rehearsal, you are not to leave my sight. _Never_, do you understand? If you are not under Her Majesty's eye you will be under mine at all times."

"All right. I can do that." I paused and cleared my throat. "May I talk to Pam, please?"

"It would be wiser if you didn't. I willl pass on a message for you, though."

"Tell her I'm sorry I hollered at her. And that I miss her."

Eric relayed the message, I heard Pam say something indistinct. There was a pause and I heard him hiss, "You _know,_ why. Now will you stop trying to take the phone-!" there were a few scuffling noises then Pam came on the line. "I can only talk for a minute, Rachel, but your apology is accepted and I'll see you at the reception. Keep Her Majesty's hands off you and don't book any activities whatsoever once this is over."

"Why?"

"Because, dear heart, you're going to spend most of your time naked in my bed. Bye!"

"How romantic!" rolled my eyes as Eric took the phone back and muttered to Pam that he'd deal with her later. "When I arrive, I must speak to you and Billy, so if you would arrange it, please."

"Okay. Have y'all found out who the witches are?"

"Not yet, but your brother has informed he that he has new information."

"That's good. Anything else?"

"No. Goodbye, Rachel. I will see you soon."

"Goodbye Eric. Don't be too hard on Pam, okay?"

He snorted and hung up. Since he sounded more exasperated than angry, I decided not to worry. I was actually looking forward to seeing him again. And asking him why in the hell he'd told Sookie about Bill. Maybe Bill's original intentions hadn't been strictly honorable, but he DID care about her; I was sure of it. And it's not like _Eric _was a paragon of chivalry.


	49. Chapter 49

_**A/N: Hello! Before anyone points it out to me, let me say that I know the sequence of time is totally wrong, but I didn't want to leave this part of the plot dangling, so I'm compressing and switching some canon events around. Do not flame me please. I've already given everyone ample warning that this is AU. Maumauka **_

**Billy-POV **

Just before the Queen of Louisiana's wedding, Pam called me all frantic because Eric lost his memory. She and Sookie were hiding him at Sookie's house and she wanted me to come right away. I went because Eric needed to be at the queen's wedding. Her Majesty asked him to be in it so he could look out for Rachel. I wondered if whoever had taken him out knew that. Wouldn't surprise _me_ if the queen had a few spies in her house, and from what I knew about that Arkansas bunch, I was afraid someone was going to try and assassinate her.

I headed for Bon Temps as fast as I could go; I know the roads between Shreveport and New Orleans like the back of my hand, so I was able to break quite a few speed limit laws. I hoped I could figure out more from Eric than I had from Uncle Paul and Company. I cast every spell I could think of; I shook hands with folks until my wrist had a permanent kink, and I could not find one stray thought or spoken word to indicate the Balletois knew anything about the attack on Eric. I only had my own gut to go by, and my gut said something was hinky.

Pam and Sookie were both waiting for me on the porch of Sookie's house. Pam looked tense and Sookie looked awful—like she hadn't slept in days. Poor gal didn't deserve what she'd gotten. I hoped at least they were paying her.

"Billy!" Sookie came forward and hugged me. "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you."

I hugged her back and let her go quick. I always thought Sookie was pretty cute and I didn't want her to think I was taking advantage. "He in the house?"

"Yeah. We thought you could have a look at him."

"_I_ thought" Pam corrected. Sookie looked irritated and didn't answer.

They led me inside. Eric was sitting on the couch looking like someone vacuumed his brain out through his ear. "Who are you?"

"Billy Dupree Balletois. I'm a witch."

He was in my face and snarling in two seconds. A pair of strong hands just about crushed my windpipe as Eric lifted me into the air. "DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

"Eric! Put him down! He's here to help!" Sookie grabbed his arm and he dropped me on the floor the way a dog does a bone. I coughed and worked on getting air back into my system. I couldn't really blame the guy. He knew that whatever happened to him had involved magic, so he was probably looking to kick any magical ass he could find.

"You know my sister Rachel" I said as I tried like hell not to hawk a huge glob of phlegm onto Sookie's floor. "She's a vampire and you and Pam looked after her for a while. I'm here to try and help you figure out who gotcha. You remember anything at all?"

Eric shook his head. "I remember running down the road near Sookie's house, but no more than that. I don't know what happened before."

"Okay. For me to get an idea, you're gonna have to let me hold your hand" he looked suspicious, so I continued, "If you're nervous, Miss Pam here can stand right here behind me. She'll rip me in half if I try to do anything to you."

Pam nodded and stepped up behind me. Eric reluctantly held out his hand. When I took it, the energy hit me at once. It took all my focus not to drop it and get sick all over the place. Whoever put the spell on him knew what they were doing. I could tell right away that the caster was the only person who could undo it. I forced myself to keep my grip and tried to get a sense of who the person was. When I do that, it's not like reading someone's mind; more like I let the energy wash around inside my head and try to suss out the feelings connected to it. If you can do that, you can figure out the person's intent and the intent might give us a clue to their identity.

There was a shitload of malice. Someone either hated vampires a lot or hated Eric personally, which made it a good bet they weren't any of those Wiccan folks. Paul had suggested I check out Wiccan groups in the Shreveport area but that had been a dead end. _These_ people wanted power, pure and simple. With The Sheriff gone, they thought the vampires in Shreveport might scatter or start fighting among themselves leaving the way clear for...

I squinted. Something about the energy wasn't right. The image of a wolf flashed through my mind. _Clan,_ I thought. I didn't ask myself why I thought that. When I'm using my savvy, it's best just to let things come and sort through em' later.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting myself sink deeper into the energy. It got less intense, probably because it had sensed I wasn't here to get rid of it. I was looking for anything that might connect the caster to my family. I smelled metal like old nickels you find under your car seat. Money had changed hands; I was sure of it. Not surprising when you considered that these folks had been trying to extort money from Eric.

"I dunno if they're Balletois" I said finally. "I'm not feeling anything familiar, but whoever it is, they're full of hate. I got a picture of a wolf-it might mean they're hunting you-"

"Weres" Pam said behind me.

I knew what Weres were. Tante Aurelie had filled me in pretty good on the other supernatural folk in our neck of the woods, but I never heard of one being a witch before. That don't mean much, though. Before Rachel, I never heard of a vampire witch, either.

"And they want power any way they can get it. I can't take the curse off; it's wired so only the caster can do that, but I might can force a reveal. Miss Pam, have you ever spoken to these folks yourself? Or do you think any of them might have been somewhere y'all conduct your business?

"Merlotte's!" Sookie exclaimed. "They've been to Merlotte's where I work! They wanted to talk to Sam...that's my boss."

"Then that's the next place we need to go."

Miss Pam elected to stay at the house with Eric. Sookie and I drove to the little bar and grill and I had no trouble smelling the magic. her boss, Sam Merlotte, was some kind of Supe but I didn't ask him about it. Sookie explained what we were there for and he took us back to his office. "Sure, I've seen em'" he said. "And they're definitely bad news. If you're a witch, can't you deal with em'?"

I shook my head. "It's usually not a good idea to try to take on a bunch like this solo. I'm still trying to find out about them so I don't go into this situation blindfolded. They give you any names?"

"Stonebrook. Hallow and Mark Stonebrook."

I would bet dollars to doughnuts that those were aliases. "I don't want to freak you out, but do you have anything they handled? A glass or some silverware or something?"

"That stuff's all gone in the dishwasher."

"Did either of em' smoke?"

"Yeah, one of them. Mark."

"You still got the ashtray?"

"Yeah, but I emptied it."

"Don't matter as long as you didn't wash it. Can I see it?"

Sam went out and brought me a green glass ashtray. It still had residue in it and gave me a helluva jolt. Glass holds energy just like it holds heat. I saw the witches almost immediately inside my head. A man and a woman, full of hate and greed and wanting, wanting wanting. What did they want? Eric's money would let them build themselves up, let them do whatever they wanted. They had known to come here, that Area 5 was a rich vampire nest. Who had told them?

That area was completely blank. No way it could be an accident.

"Thanks, buddy" I said as I handed the ashtray back to Sam.

"What'd you get?"

"They're here for a reason. There's a reason they want vampire money and control of this area. They're trying to build themselves up, and they're very strong. Their energy is totally hyped up" A thought hit me then, and I said it out loud: "Are they on V?"

Sookie and Sam looked at each other. "I think so", Sookie said.

"Then you've got motive. Your best bet is to round up as many Supe folks as you can...vampires, weres, shapeshifters, any witches or Wiccans you can lay hold of. To undo the spell on Eric, you need the casters alive and that's not gonna be easy."

"Will you help?" Sookie asked softly, laying her hand on my arm. Goddamn it...I am a complete fool for a lady with pretty eyes and a nice rack. "I will if I can, but there's something I gotta do first."

I had to get Paul to tell me the truth, one way or the other.


End file.
